Gentlemen Don't Do That
by JuliaKerns5
Summary: [AU, set in 1800s][RLSB] In a world where properness is mandatory, Remus finds himself competing for the heart of Miss Lily Evans, a wealthy lady. Sirius and Remus start a playful banter of who 'wins', James or Remus. READ INSIDE SUMMARY. Forbidden love!
1. Chapter 1

_Title_: Gentlemen Don't Do That

_Author_: Julia!!!

_Reviews_: Yes, I love them. Please do feel free, or actually obligated, to review. :D

_Warning_: Yes, yes, this is SLASH. And the best kind of slash too, FORBIDDEN slash!! Squee!! I don't know about you, but I love seeing my characters in pain... hehe

_Pairing_: The ever-so-lovely LE/JP and – YAY – RL/SB.

_Era_: That lovely 1800s and stuff. Where everything is so prim and proper and strict. FUNNESS.

_Status_: Long story. Hopefully. I'm expecting something like from Belong To Nowhere.

_Ending_: Happily. I've already decided that.

_Rating_: T or maybe M. If it turns into something M-rated, I'll definitely change it. So be on the lookout for changing ratings.

_Genre_: Romance, perhaps some dramatic parts…

_Summary_: In an era of only properness, Remus finds himself with the task of winning over the wealthy Miss Evan's heart, even though there is some competition. Sirius and him develop a not-so playful banter on who will end up with Miss Evans, James or Remus, and Sirius is so on James' side and will do anything so that he'll do anything to get Remus out of the way… when Remus ends up getting an arranged marriage set up with Miss Evans, he can't tear himself apart from Sirius… they've come a long way and actually find themselves in love… but that's not allowed in such a strict era of time.

_Disclaimer_: I don't own anything. Some quotes from Pride and Prejudice are used.

In a world were men were gentlemen and women were ladies, and everybody was taught to act as prim and proper as the generations before them.

And among this era, was Remus Lupin.

One of the only men in his town to even act as strict as he was taught. He didn't talk at the dinner table unless spoken to when he ate with his parents. He always carried a handkerchief with him and waved it politely under lady's noses when they coughed into their palms. He always wore his appropriate attire, and didn't wander out of the boundaries of the village. He would take off his hat and bow in front of ladies when they passed.

Remus Lupin was a twenty-four year old gentleman who was surrounded by other not-so-polite gentlemen.

And one day, he found himself actually conversing with them.

---

Sure, he nodded curtly and sometimes even gave a short and polite "Good day, Potter," or a nod followed with a brisk "Weather isn't agreeable today, is it, Pettigrew?" And they would follow with the exact same manner, but with a grin that Remus never liked.

The grin hid mischief that could never be pleasant in such a civil and brusque place. It even made Remus wince. It showed only pure wickedness, and that was never a good sign in the Forefields village, with ancestors that still followed harsh strictness.

So when he came into their house, the Rosehill Estates, he found himself quite entranced and horrified at the conversation in the following room, his hands slightly withered from hanging up the family's clothing.

Mr. Lupin was sitting in his aging chair, a book in his arms and a pipe positioned in the corner of his mouth, his chin sagging as he adjusted it. The pipe puffed out clouds of smoke that rung their way into Remus' discreet position.

"Why, my dear Mr. Lupin, have you heard that the Forefield Estate is finally in use?" Mrs. Lupin asked incredulously, passing the chair in amusement.

Mr. Lupin replied that he had not.

Mrs. Lupin's eyes widened in surprise as she settled herself in the nearby chair, her hands folded. "Dr. Pettigrew has just informed me of so."

Mr. Lupin didn't respond.

"Are you not curious?"

"Of what, my dear Mrs. Lupin?" Mr. Lupin grunted back tiredly.

"Of who has bought Forefield Estate! My, my, Mr. Lupin, one day your mind will simply fall into the wrong place while you walk." Mrs. Lupin scolded harshly.

"You want to tell me, and I have no objection of hearing it."

Mrs. Lupin tutted severely, shaking her wrinkled face in impatience, and then finally continued. "It's been taken by a young lady of large fortune from England with her guardians. They were most delighted about the estate and that they would like to be in possession of the estate."

Mr. Lupin sighed. "What a pitiable family they must be to buy such a large estate. What is the daughter's name?"

"Evans."

"Is she married or single?" Mr. Lupin continued curiously. Remus sighed outside of the room, leaning against the wall and abandoning his strict manner for a moment.

"Single, indeed, Mr. Lupin. A single lady of large fortune, what a treasure we have fallen upon! What a pleasure it would be for Remus!"

"How so?" Mr. Lupin grunted.

"Mr dear Mr. Lupin, how can you be so tiresome? You must know that I am thinking of her marrying our dear Remus." Mrs. Lupin continued, brushing specks of dust off of her day gown.

"What would Remus think of a such a lady?"

"I'm sure that he would be pleased – perhaps even charmed – by the lovely Miss Evans." Mrs. Lupin assured with a small smile, gently removing herself from the chair.

"I must say, surely our son should have some say in this."

"Of course he will!" Mrs. Lupin huffed. "I'll inform him of Miss Evan's arrival as soon as he comes in from hanging the laundry."

Remus darted from their sight swiftly, rapidly slipping into the kitchen to wash up. Mrs. Lupin entered after him almost immediately after him.

"Remus, have you finished the laundry?"

Remus turned promptly from the sink. "Yes, I have, Mother."

"Lovely," Mrs. Lupin dismissed. "Can I interest you in something, Remus?"

Remus tried not to let his face show downpour as his mother's face lit up in anticipation.

"There's been an arrival in town."

"So I heard." Remus mumbled, waving his hand slightly.

"I do not know if you have met the lady, but the quite agreeable Miss Evans is here and will most probably be attending the dinner in the ballroom for her honor."

"How does this affect me, Mother?" He asked politely, refraining from raising an eyebrow.

Mrs. Lupin sighed in irritation. "Heaven goodness, Remus, you are as irritable as your father," She scolded strictly. "You are of the age where young gentlemen usually would marry such young ladies and yet I have never even seen you _talk_ to a woman in the village in almost my entire lifetime." She continued incredulously.

"I do not wish to disturb then, Mother."

"They are already disturbed, Remus." His mother said somewhat bitterly, and shivered. "As _impure_ as they are…" Mrs. Lupin said sharply, choosing her words carefully. "I do believe that Miss Evans is an exception."

"Does this mean that I should converse with her at the dinner tomorrow evening?"

"I do expect that of you, Remus. Don't let your father and I down on such an important manner." Mrs. Lupin instructed firmly, and then swept towards the door.

She shot him a look.

"Can I trust you with that, Remus?"

Remus nodded automatically, before reaching for the hand towel.

---

"I do assume that other men will be there too, Remus, especially to charm Miss Evans," Mr. Lupin informed in a whisper – not to attract the attention of his wife. "So _do not_ attempt to cloud her over like the rest of the gentlemen attending."

He gave his son a brief sympathetic look.

"And I must tell you, Remus," Mr. Lupin assured. "That even if Miss Evans leaves with another man or perhaps with _no man_, I will not feel as let down as Mrs. Lupin will."

Remus smiled for a moment before pulling on his gloves.

In a flash, Mrs. Lupin arrived at her son's side again, adjusting his collar. "Show Miss Evans your manners, Remus, that is was is most important." She nodded at his attire starkly.

The coach outside was already ready as they left the estate in a frenzy of Mrs. Lupin, who was still hissing instructions to her son. When they arrived at the hall for dinner, there were already multiple coaches waiting outside of the candlelit walkway. Mr. and Mrs. Lupin were vanished into their own abyss of elderly friends of lieutenants and soldiers, while Remus was soon met with his small group of acquaintances.

There was classical music playing from the ballroom as the groups moved generally to the just mentioned room, but all were refraining from dancing until Miss Evans had arrived. From talk, Remus could tell that he wasn't the only one asked to seduce Miss Evans.

In an hour's time, someone announced that Miss Evan's coach had arrived and that the attendees should stand in her honor. Just like everyone else, Remus promptly stood and peered at the door.

There, walking on the soft carpet, was Miss Lily Evans, with deep red hair that reached almost to her waist and eyes that broke everyone into sharp inhales of breath. Sparkling like the lake in a fresh pond, her bright green eyes darted from gentleman to gentleman as she viewed her choices. Obviously Miss Evans knew that several men would be after her tonight.

Entering behind her was her equally rich friend, Miss Virginia Judson. With brown hair that was curled elegantly to her shoulders, her gloved arm was loosely linked with Miss Evans'.

They both were stunning sights, and complete silence had fallen about the hall as they walked gracefully in, sending glances all around the room.

So this was Miss Evans.

The music spontaneously started again and automatically many gentlemen, with their out-held arms, approached Miss Evans and Miss Judson. Remus, sighing, clouded several feet away from the large group.

Somehow, both ladies managed to shake most of the men off, until they were able to look along the entire hall.

Remus gulped, standing right at the glance of Miss Evans, who smiled briefly in his direction, and walked toward him and his friends.

Finally regaining his voice, Remus held out his gloved hand towards the redhead.

"Excuse my silence, Miss Evans, but your presence simply took my breath away." He stuttered, his forehead glistening with sweat. Miss Evans smiled back.

"Thank you for the compliment, Sir…?"

"Lupin," Remus choked out immediately, his hand going towards his handkerchief. He refrained from grabbing it. "Remus Lupin. And I have the pleasure of addressing Miss…?"

"Lily Evans, Sir, most pleased to–"

In a sudden sweep of wind, another man skidded up to Lily, looked most breathless and surprised. Two snickering men were in close pursuit behind him.

"Sorry," The man panted, and Remus sighed, noticing the male. James Potter stood before Miss Evans, most oblivious to Remus' presence. "But you are so most stunningly beautiful that I couldn't help myself…" Still panting, he took off his hat and bowed before pushing it back on haphazardly.

Lily looked most taken-aback and horrified from Potter's forwardness, and took a small step backwards.

"_Excuse me_, Sir–?" She began rather fearfully, her eyes wide. The two gentlemen behind Potter laughed, looking at Remus most amusedly. They must have known that Potter was going to interfere in his encounter with Miss Evans.

"James… James Potter. Such a pleasure, my dear lady." He said, taking off his hat briefly again.

"I'll… I'll–"

"Wish to dance, Miss Evans?" James said more or less ordered than requested, and then grabbed her arm hastily.

"Sir!" She exclaimed surprisingly, trying to yank away. The two men behind him were collapsing in laughter now. Remus squinted strictly at them.

"It's rude to laugh in a ballroom." He said, walking closer to them and staring at them sternly.

Their faces rose from their descend, staring entertainingly at Remus.

"Lupin, is it?" One of them said, which Remus most recognized. It was one of the men in his village that didn't care for politeness. Remus crossed his arms loosely.

"It's bad etiquette, Black." He lectured.

"Then it is Lupin," Black brushed off unimportantly. "And I must tell you, your lecture does not concern me in the slightest."

"I noticed, Black."

The other one, slightly plump, named Pettigrew, piped up.

"Excuse us." He muttered, dragging Black and himself away.

---

"Miss Evans was most entranced by you, Remus." Mrs. Lupin squeaked excitedly, reaching for her fork. She called for the maid, who promptly brought over the tea.

Mrs. Lupin poured it. "I heard from her guardians."

"I do believe that Mr. Potter was responsible for entertaining her for most of the night." He commented quietly.

Mrs. Lupin huffed incredulously. "_Entertaining_? Please, Remus, Miss Evans was most horrified but Mr. Potter's _performance_, if you will. His vocabulary is most rude and poor, and his rules about simple etiquette have been out the door since he's lived in this village!" She ranted furiously. "I do not care for Mr. Potter quite as much as other people might."

Mr. Lupin grunted in agreement from the end of the table.

"But you must admit," Remus stated. "Potter is persistent. He'll have Miss Evans annoyed to no end until she finally gives in."

Mrs. Lupin shuddered. "Such a _forceful_ man… poor Miss Evans. She has no belief that she'll be getting seduced by Mr. Potter, I daresay."

The maid reached over and took Remus' empty plate.

"Shall I finish the laundry, Mother?" He offered.

"Nothing to finish, Remus." His mother brushed off.

"Well then, can I read by the bridge?" Remus asked again, reaching for his gloves.

"You might as well."

---

The sun was burning onto his back while he leant against the bridge railing, the book positioned on his elbow as he read silently, not noticing when a coach passed the path to the bridge.

"Oh! Mr. Lupin!" A soft voice said surprisingly.

Remus' head snapped over to see Miss Evans leaving her coach with help from her coachman. Hurriedly pocketing his book, he held out his elbow for Miss Evans to attach to. Leading her over to the bridge, she sighed.

"What a beautiful sight." She said dreamily, watching the lake.

"How is Miss Judson doing?"

"Oh," Miss Evans said, snapping back and facing Remus. "As good as ever, Mr. Lupin."

Remus smiled. "Is your day going well?"

"Excellent." She said brightly, her eyes shining in the sunlight.

"I do hope you had a good time last night at the dinner." He commented lightly.

"I did not know that so many people would be coming."

"I was not informed of the fact either." Remus said, when he heard footsteps coming up.

"My dear Miss Evans." A low voice addressed. Remus looked over and then almost growled, seeing Black standing innocently at the threshold.

"M-Mr. Black?" She asked incredulously.

"I hope you're not in the middle of something, as Mr. Potter has something most wonderful to inform you about. He has sent me in this notifying, because he is too busy hiding in that bush, over there, to actually speak to your presence." Black spoke, sounding almost like a rehearsed speech.

"How romantic," Remus remarked dryly. "Why is Potter hiding in a bush?"

Sending Remus an interesting look, Black only let a small smile play on his lips. And then it was gone. "Mostly because he is much afraid of turning incoherent in Miss Evan's presence, Lupin."

Miss Evans looked most fretful as she clung to Remus' arm, looking ready to reject the offer.

"If you'd like to speak to the man, I'll be waiting here, Miss Evans." Remus said gently, wondering if she was only there for his benefit.

With another encouragement from Black, she trotted off towards the bush in which Potter was supposedly hiding behind in fright of being rejected.

"I do not understand why Potter could not have asked Miss Evans that himself. He made quite a grand entrance last evening when _I_ was conversing with Miss Evans. Tell me, Black, what is his intentions with the lady?" He asked sharply, not moving from his spot on the bridge. His eyes were icy.

Black took a step forward, looking as though he was enjoying Remus' uneasiness.

"Most probably the same intentions you have with her, Lupin." He brushed off.

"And why do _you_ have to be involved in this affair, Black?" Remus spat coldly, his eyes rather furious.

He laughed. "Because he needs some help." Black muttered, adjusting his collar.

With a rather curious glance, he stared at Remus for a moment. "And you do too."

_AN_: I would highly recommend actually reading all of that informative stuff at the top, but if you find that boring and always skip over it, I'll just summarize the important bits here.

Okay, well, this is going to end happily, since I've already decided that, and it's going to be a story around the length of Belong To Nowhere. At least, that's what I'm expecting of myself.

It's a quite a long summary that I DEFINITELY didn't fit onto the summary they give you on the page where you can just see the title… well anyway, if you're not gonna read all of that other stuff up there, at least read the summary, please.

This is SLASH. And eventual JP/LE

I also would like to WARN all of you that although this is T rated right now it could change to M any time, so please be on the lookout for the rating, it may change with new chapters.

Lastly, I'd like to comment saying that the next chapter I'll be writing will already be having some RL/SB (but not mutual XD) and it'll be much, MUCH shorter than this chappie. R&R, please!!

Love,

JULIA :D ;O :P


	2. Chapter 2

"Miss Evans was most entranced by your kindness by the bridge, Remus," Mr. Lupin muttered. "This excites your mother, for some reason…" He said, shaking his head.

"Am I supposed to marry her, Father?"

"I do believe that that is your mother's intention. But we can never tell with women." He grunted frustratingly.

Remus stood up. "I doubt that Miss Evans would accept me."

"Don't distrust it, Remus. I'm sure that she found some charm in you."

Remus sighed. "Potter and Black are after her as well."

"Without avail…" Mr. Lupin brushed off.

"I have a feeling that they'll be trouble, Father."

"Of course they are. I have that feeling about your mother every hour," Mr. Lupin rolled his eyes in exasperation. "But one day Black and Potter will realize that they're heads are simply watermelons and just chop them off."

"Lovely." Remus remarked wryly, reaching for his gloves. "But I do agree that they're chauvinistic prunes."

---

When he arrived at Miss Evan's Estate, there was already a brilliantly black coach waiting outside of it, the curtains around it closed. Ignoring it and simply hoping that whoever the black coach belonged to wasn't in to visit Miss Evans, he passed it nonchalantly. Sighing, he walked up to the door, about to knock, when he heard a voice.

"Wait, Lupin."

Spinning around, he saw Black climbing out of the coach, tightly closing the curtains around it again. He jumped from the coach, landing in the firm dirt and wiping his hands swiftly. He stepped forward. Remus immediately stepped back. How was it possible that he had made no noise in the coach when Remus had arrived?

"What are you doing here, Black?"

He chuckled. "I'm waiting for Potter." He answered smugly, as though it was obvious. "He's taken the liberty to try and _seduce_, if you will, Miss Evans and I do believe it's going well since he's been in there for a quite a long time now."

"So?" Remus scoffed. "I honestly give no care for such a matter. Do not hold me up any longer." He reached to knock again, but Black actually grabbed his wrist to stop him. Remus wrenched away from his grasp as though he had been burnt.

"Stop." Black told him firmly.

"You're refraining me from entering?" Remus asked incredulously, getting slightly irritated.

"One could say so."

"You won't stop me, Black." Remus muttered, reaching to knock again.

"Potter's in there, and I would hate to think what would happen if you would interrupt their meeting." Black said softly, heaving a sigh. He stepped closer.

"I don't have concern for their meeting. I need to see Miss Evans."

"So I see," Black said with a slight smirk. "Couldn't your time be spent more valuably?"

"I would love to say that about _Potter_, Black, not myself." Remus said, finalizing their conversation and turning to knock again, clearing his throat.

When he felt himself being turned around roughly by Black again.

"You don't push another gentleman of your age, Black, it's bad etiquette." He hissed, yanking himself from Black's grip, but he felt in a sudden flurry, pressure on his mouth for just a moment, his eyes still open, before he yelped out and tried to push Black away, but he was already gone, their face's on a more agreeable distance again.

"What in Merlin was that?" He muttered, his hand flying to his face.

"I've been trying to get you away from the door. Perhaps that helped…?" Black asked, slightly desperate, even though there still was an immovable smirk on his face.

Remus was ignoring him though, his eyes blazing. "_Men don't do that to other men!_" He shouted rather heatedly, hissing. "It's bad etiquette and is against the guidelines. It just _doesn't_ happen. Or at least it's not supposed to."

"I didn't _mean_ anything by it," Black said, obviously finding it amusing how angry Remus was getting. "But I think I have the right to be a homosexual."

Remus' eyes bulged and his lips turned into two fine, white lines. In Black's view, he must look like an overly sanitary elderly woman, who was just lecturing her children.

"That's against the rules," He muttered, acting like a childish tattle-tell school kid. "As a gentleman, you have to be a heterosexual."

Black huffed. "I don't _have_ to be anything." He said resolutely, obviously determined in the subject.

"You don't care what's _proper_, do you–"

"Haven't I already told you that you should simply _move away from the door_ and I won't kiss you again?" Black said loudly, his eyes' wild.

Remus almost stumbled down the stairs. "It's rude to be so _blunt_, Black." He muttered, not being able to help himself, reaching for his coach door.

"I don't care. This time I win." Black said smugly, leaning against the door haughtily. He looked so arrogant, so full of himself, that it made Remus want to hit him out of his egotistical self.

But gentlemen don't do that.

Just like they don't _kiss other men_

_Forget about it. _Remus told himself, just like any civil man would do at this point. _He just wants to see you get mad and fly off of the handle._

Remus snarled, almost throwing himself into the coach, but he didn't let Black see that. He wasn't going to let Black see anything at all anymore.

---

"Did you speak to Miss Evans?" Mrs. Lupin asked when Remus returned, fuming.

"I…" Remus started, raking a hand through his hair distractedly. "She wasn't home."

"That's curious," Mrs. Lupin commented, frowning slightly. "Perhaps you can return this evening."

Remus simply hoped that Black wouldn't be there to interfere his task. Nodding curtly to his mother, he stalked upstairs without another word.

---

He didn't use a coach this time. This time he quietly walked up to the large estate, slipping among the bushes carefully in the darkening sky and making sure not to step on an astray twig. Brushing away a branch, he peered into the front yard.

Nobody else was there.

Sighing in relief, he bolted towards the door and rapped on the wood loudly, reveling in being able to knock freely and knocking a bit too long for patience or for a gentleman. Gentlemen don't revel. They especially don't revel in silly things like knocking for too long just because they _can_ or because they won't get interrupted. He stood impatiently at the threshold, simply waiting for Black or Potter or someone else irritable to jump up and get him from behind… or worse… get him from the front... and do some rather unmentionable things that Remus already had to deal with and had been gnawing on his mind the entire day...

Kissing.

Kissing other men.

Gentlemen don't do that.

He shuddered. The door opened then, and Remus bowed immediately. It had been a maid.

"Oh. Hello. I daresay you're here for Miss Evans?" She asked kindly, and as Remus nodded, she closed the door softly and went up the stairs. Miss Evans answered the door two minutes later, looking rather annoyed until her eyes fell upon Remus and she smiled gently.

"Would you like to come in, Mr. Lupin?" She asked politely, motioning for him to enter.

"I wouldn't want to intrude, Miss Evans…" Remus said gravely, flushing.

"Oh, no, no! Come right in, Mr. Lupin! You're definitely not a burden here…" Miss Evans assured, linking arms with him and leading him over to the living room.

She sat down tenderly on the couch, her hands in her lap.

"You seem troubled, Miss Evans…?" Remus began, it being more of a question than a statement.

Miss Evans emitted a quiet groan and rolled her eyes. "Pardon my politeness, Mr. Lupin, but I have been greatly pestered this morning." She mumbled coldly, reaching for the teapot at the coffee table.

"Oh? How so? Forgive me for prodding, Miss."

"No forgiveness needed, Mr. Lupin," She brushed off lightly, pouring herself tea and sipping gently at the china. "A young man came here this morning. I do believe he is the same one that interrupted our meeting yesterday in the ballroom." Miss Evans reminisced, and then sighed.

"What has he done to disturb you, Miss Evans?" He asked gently.

"The gentlemen has convinced himself that he has fallen in love with me." She said, and then huffed. "What nonsense. The man has known me for approximately one evening and one morning and he believes that he so effusively smitten with me," She shuddered. "He made quite a scene proving it."

"I do believe that I visited this morning," Remus braved, reaching for the teapot himself. "And that a black coach was waiting in front of the estate."

Miss Evans raised her eyebrows in interest. "Oh really?"

"Yes indeed. It was closed tightly, so I believed that the individuals who had driven the coach must be inside… but as I went up to the door to knock, Mr. Black accosted me."

She gasped, choking slightly on her tea, but regaining her elegant manner rather quickly. "Mr. Black?"

"Yes. He's a friend of Mr. Potter, and I know them quite well," He said bitterly, raising the cup to his lips in a gloved hand. "You are quite alright to create your own opinions, Miss Evans, but I must tell you that Potter and Black have always been what I called the 'wrong type of people' to live in such a proper and elegant town."

"I must say I agree, Mr. Lupin," Miss Evans said automatically. "They are quite the annoyances. Is Mr. Potter usually smitten often with other ladies?" She asked curiously, a hint of tentativeness in her voice.

"I do not watch the man," Remus began. "But I don't believe so. It is quite an exception that he finds a lady suitable and agreeable enough for his standards, hence the hastiness of his confession of love. I doubt that he has ever felt such a strong emotion and just mistook an infatuation for love. And Black probably egged him on. I doubt that he has ever felt love either." Remus explained rationally.

They were silent for a moment, before Miss Evans put down her teacup and looked at her lap. "No one ever has here." She said quietly, causing Remus to look peculiarly at her.

"Excuse me, Miss Evans?" He asked respectfully, lacing his hands together.

"Who are you acquainted with, Mr. Lupin, that has ever truly fallen in love with someone?"

Remus thought for a moment… his mother and father had been arranged to be married, as many of his other friends had… no one he knew had ever married by choice or actually _loved_.

"You are quite right, Miss Evans. What a sad matter it is indeed."

She smiled over at him. "Perhaps it'll be different for me." She said with a knowing grin.

Remus cocked a brow. "_Has_ Mr. Potter effectively captured your heart?" He asked jokingly, actually considering the answer.

She laughed softly. "I don't believe that this will happen any time soon, Mr. Lupin," Then she looked at him seriously. "My guardians have been considering things." She said thoughtfully.

"So have mine," Remus responded. "They have…" He stopped for a moment, contemplating the right words. "…bigger _intentions_ then I do." He refrained from mentioning that his parents had bigger intentions with Miss Evans herself, since that wouldn't be civil at all.

"Mine do too. It's rather frustrating."

Miss Evans snapped out of her trance, pouring herself more tea.

"Could you imagine how things would be if you were actually in love with someone, and then you would be arranged to marry someone else?" She asked incredulously.

"Er… yes," Remus agreed. "Separation seems a sad crime, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it does." She muttered.

Remus reaching the bottom of his cup, and not to make any rude slurping noises of breathing in air from the bottom of the cup, he placed it on it's tray.

He stood. "Thank you for letting me come here, Miss Evans. I can assure you that I will return." He said courteously, nodding, before taking off his hat in a bow and leaving the estate.

The minute he opened the door, his face fell and he sighed exhaustingly.

Black stood smugly with Potter, leaning against the same black coach he had seen that morning.

As his eyes fell upon Remus, who stood frozen in the doorway, he smirked.

"Looks like Lupin is done," He said wickedly, putting his hands on his hips. "Go, Potter." He said, giving Potter a push. He hurried inside before Remus would have a chance of closing the door.

Remus carefully walked down the stairs. "Why didn't you just enter? I didn't have a couch. How did you know I was here?"

"The maid told us that she already had visitors. I assumed it was you, being sly and all to not bring a couch to avoid certain people... certain people like I, Mr. Lupin?" He asked suggestively, his voice so low that it was making Remus shiver. It was indeed true that Black was clever (especially to figure something so complex out simply by just noticing a missing couch to understand who was inside with Miss Evans) and Remus didn't like that.

Remus looked away from him. "Good luck for Mr. Potter and Miss Evans. I assume that he'll need it." Remus said icily.

Black ignored him. "So how is your _seduction_ coming along, Lupin?" He asked rather huskily, his hands falling to his sides again. Remus tried not to show his fear as he stalked down the concrete steps.

"It's not seduction, Black." Remus said sharply.

"How did you arrive if you did not bring a coach?" Black inquired, one brow rose in amusement.

"I walked, thank you." Remus said.

"It seems like quite a walk," Black said softly, examining the path next to him. "Would you like a ride?" He asked.

Remus immediately shook his head. "_No_, Black. Whatever you're playing at doesn't need playing with." Remus said coldly, finally reaching the dark-haired man face-to-face. Black smirked.

"Perhaps you'll change your mind." Black said quietly, almost suggestively, and Remus walked passed him.

And as he did, he felt Black nudge his hip with his hand lightly, making him jump away and yelp. Black threw his head back and laughed.

"I win again, Lupin. Just let Potter get Evans." He said somewhat tiredly, and Remus shook his head immediately.

"No." He said sharply, before turning around and stalking away, feeling Black's gaze on him the entire time until he was out of sight.

_AN_: So I decided to abbreviate this, if you will. If I mention it, I'll just call it GDDT. R&R, please!!  
Love,

JULIA :D :O :P


	3. Chapter 3

"He pecks like an owl,"

Remus nodded sympathetically, his gloves in his coat and his eyes on the ranting Miss Evans, who was looking some sort of furious crimson tornado. He winced every once in a while when her voice would go up an octave higher than it should.

Sure, he liked the lady. She was well mannered, wealthy, and kind for the most part. Miss Evans strictly believed in etiquette in public just like Remus did, but sometimes a side of her was exposed that Remus wasn't too fond of.

It's when she fumed angrily on about this and that and Potter and Black and other annoyances and frustrations of the day, that politeness was no longer a manner. She would be very clear in getting her point across and use lots of rage while she was at it. She would be simply cantankerous.

It was rather… unpleasant.

"Oh! Like yesterday, when he stomped in right after you departed, Mr. Lupin, and started confessing his everlasting love for me! It was positively ridiculous, and right in front of my family, who think that he's _quite_ the gentleman and kind at heart…. It was so _aggravating_, even though he did give me a nice rose." She commented on the side, pointing fondly towards a single red rose in a vase nearby on the coffee table.

Miss Evans fanned herself gently. "It's quite a hot day, isn't it?" She remarked softly, reaching for her glass.

"Yes, yes it is… would you like to take a walk by the lake? It's cooler there, Miss Evans." Remus asked courteously.

"Oh, I would be delighted to. I will just grab my sun umbrella, Mr. Lupin, and we can take a walk." Miss Evans replied, scurrying over to other room. When she returned she was carrying a thin and burgundy umbrella with Chinese patterns on them. Remus extended his hand towards her, and they walked out of the estate carefully.

"The breeze is so soft." Miss Evans replied, walking delicately along the cobblestone path. They reached the lake, where the sun was beaming down rays of light and illuminating the water.

"Wonderfully fresh on such a warm day like this, do you not agree?" Remus asked nicely, leading Miss Evans over to a wooden bench near the lake. "And why, a bench is right here under this beautiful beech tree in the shade. How fortunate are we, Miss Evans?" Remus asked amusingly, sitting down on the bench. Miss Evans held her umbrella over her head despite the shade produced by the tree.

"Very, Mr. Lupin. I am very glad indeed that we decided to walk here. The lake is simply a spectacular sight."

Remus nodded his agreement.

They sat quietly in the shade for a few moments, before footsteps crunching on rocks and a definite whistling could be heard. Remus perked his head up, and Miss Evans did the same.

"Who is that?" She inquired sharply.

Remus refrained from closing his eyes tightly to avoid the situation. With his luck it might as well be –

"Well, hello." Black boomed out kindly, extending his arms. Remus sighed and looked in the direction of the greeting, where Black was walking chauvinistically toward them.

_He's so arrogant_. Was the first thing that coursed through Remus' mind as he strutted smugly over to them.

"Where's Mr. Potter?" Miss Evans commanded rather piercingly, her voice not polite or lady-like.

Black gave her a look. "Mr. Potter is currently washing himself up for tonight's dinner banquet. That is what I came here for, actually." He smiled at them.

"What a coincidence that you _knew where we were_, Black." Remus muttered irritably, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Oh yes, wasn't it? Quite lucky." Black said back eagerly, ignoring the iciness in Remus' voice.

"So what about this dinner party, Black?" Remus asked as civilly as he could manage.

"It is tonight at the Potter Quarters. Will you have the time to attend?"

Remus grimaced. Multiple alibis and excuses crossed his mind, all of them along the lines of _busy reading, going out with Miss Evans, another dinner banquet to attend to, too occupied with escaping your slimy clutches and hanging myself_… but none of them quite brought along the effect that Remus wanted them to. Instead he flinched slightly and simply stuttered out:

"I can attend." Tiredly.

Black's face lit up, and then turned to Miss Evans. "I – if Mr. Lupin will attend then so will I." She said rather crossly, linking arms with Remus.

Black smirked slightly, raising his eyebrows before turning to Remus again. "She's protective of you, Lupin. Should it not be the other way around…?" He asked somewhat condescendingly.

"Should you not be off helping Potter with getting lice out of his nostrils, Black?" Remus retorted back, his nose flaring dangerously.

Black refrained from laughing at Remus' about-to-explode state. Instead of doing so, he leant forward huskily and whispered seductively into Remus' ears, being so close that their cheeks were touching and his breath was tingling on his neck, and he said his statement loudly enough so Miss Evans would hear it as well.

"And by the way, Lupin, thank you for showing me such a great time at my abode yesterday." And then with a kiss on Remus' cheek, he pulled back – readjusting his hat and winking a little longer than necessarily towards Remus, whose mouth gaped.

"Close your mouth, Lupin," Black said with a smirk. "It's bad etiquette to expose your tongue." And he charged off.

Miss Evans, her face aghast and appalling, let out a small gasp of indication as she looked incredulously at Remus, whose nostrils were still flaring. His eyes were bulging out his sockets as his face slowly became flaming ruby-red.

"I – you – I… I can confirm, Miss Evans, that he is talking nonsense! I definitely did not go to his estate yesterday evening!" Remus shouted out in indignation furiously.

"Why would he say such a bizarre statement, Mr. Lupin?! He surely could not have cooked up such foolishness!"

"Miss Evans!" Remus said a bit louder. "The gentleman has no manners whatsoever and is currently friends with James Potter! What do you expect of such a man?" He asked, his eyes wild.

Miss Evans tutted disbelievingly. "Truth or not, Mr. Lupin, there is _obviously_ some immature joking taking place with the two of you at the moment, which, I might say, is quite childish!" And with that she stood up suddenly, reaching for her umbrella and giving Remus a pursed lip look, her mouth a thin white line, as she marched off with a 'hmph!' emitting from her lips.

Remus stood up angrily. He couldn't simply _tell_ Miss Evans that Black was fighting for James to have Miss Evans over him – and quite successfully, at the moment – since this sounded both pathetic and irresponsible. Muttering to himself ragingly, he stomped back to his own estate.

---

That night he was still deciding on attending the Dinner Banquet at the Potter Domicile, even though he was not certain that Miss Evans would be appearing. Of course, her not coming might save him from another feud about Black and himself.

Tonight he would _definitely_ make sure to have a talk with Black. And positively not in private where Black could weasel his way out of the situation in very… non-gentleman like ways. He was _not_ going to relive _that_.

Adjusting his tie, Remus examined his neat form in the mirror quickly before leaving the room and pulling on his gloves. Bidding goodbye to the household, Remus arrived at the Potter Estate. He could hear music and high-pitched laughter coming from the door as Remus approached it with a sigh and heaved it open.

He scoured for just a moment for his victim before finding Potter and Black among the tables. Walking as fast as it was polite to in a ballroom, Remus raced over to Black and coughed impatiently.

Black turned, the smile falling off of his face to be replaced by a smirk as he saw Remus. Remus didn't like that smirk.

"You came…" He noticed rather surprisingly. Potter was smiling from behind his shoulder.

"Yes I did. Did Miss Evans arrive?"

"She is yet to be found if she did come…" Black said, sighing heavily. "Is there a matter, Lupin?"

"Yes there is, Black, and I am sure that you are aware of my concern." He growled.

Black looked blankly back at him, an innocent twinkle in his eye. "Am I responsible for the happenings of trouble?" He asked airily.

Remus gave him a stern look. "May I have a word?" He gritted out, staring crossly at James as though waiting for him to leave. Potter left laughing.

Black half-smiled, half-smirked at him, his expression truly cocky. "What is so essentially private, Lupin?"

"The fact that your little _comment_ this morning to Miss Evans and I deeply disturbed some people," Remus grumbled, leaning a hand on the table. "People like _her_ and _I_. Was it your intention, I must ask, to make Miss Evans believe that I was irresponsible?"

Black laughed softly. "It was time for her to know." He said with a sickeningly self-satisfied look.

"Know _what_ exactly, Black?"

"About this thing between you and I." Black responded loftily, smiling.

Remus' eyes widened. "_Thing?_ What _thing_?" He asked wrathfully, spitting on Black in the process.

"The fixation you have on me." He said unimportantly, choosing his words carefully. He started to walk away but Remus grabbed his arm and yanked him back.

"_Fixation?!_" He repeated outrageously. "Black, I can assure you that I have _no_ obsession with you _at all_." Remus said firmly.

"Oh, Lupin, let's not play imprudent games here." Black muttered mockingly, letting out a small laugh.

"You're the one playing _games_, Black, simply so Potter can have Miss Evans. Don't involve me in this."

Black shrugged carelessly. "Sorry," He said non-to-apologetically. "But you got yourself involved when you and Miss Evans became involved." He grinned.

"Why are you meddling in this?" Remus questioned exasperatedly. "Why can't you just let people love?"

Black looked at him oddly for a moment, as though he was reading though him and figuring out that Remus and Miss Evans definitely didn't share platonic feelings. But he came out of his musings almost automatically.

"Because Sirius Black doesn't retreat until he wins." Black said lethargically, and somewhat lazily.

"Well then Sirius Black will _never_ be able to retreat." Remus snarled back, sneering at the man.

"_Do_ pardon you're manners, Lupin. Lying is quite rude."

"Oh, you are an insolent man."

"As a matter of a fact," Black continued. "Lying is a sin."

Remus scoffed. "No it is not! But _greed_ certainly is, isn't it, Black?" He said cantankerously, somewhat wittingly to let his pointed look show that Remus was meaning that Black was the greedy one in between the two.

Black stepped closer to Remus. "Yes, I suppose it is. But so is wrath." Black said pointedly.

"As is envy."

They were glaring in each other's direction – actually _Remus_ was glaring at Black – while Black was simply smirking at him.

"Good luck with Miss Evans, then," He mumbled. "You'll need it."

"I do not need advice from nosy and interfering individuals such as you, Black." Remus hissed at him, prodding him in the chest irately.

"Fine," Black muttered, stepping closer still. "But then at least let me give you something to think about." And with that he closed the distance between them and sliding his hands to his waist, reveling in the control he had over Remus when he simply kissed him. Remus didn't like to give into that control, but he found it hard to not get uneasy around Black. His senses were churning in his mind.

_People. People watching. Black kissing me. Not. Good._

Remus gasped and pushed him away quickly, expecting Black to either kiss him again in that attack-way of his or run away, but he was simply looking conceitingly in his direction with a slight smile.

Remus, rather flushed, stared embarrassingly at the people around them, but nobody was looking at Black and him. He growled at Black.

"Just keep that at the tip of your mind, Lupin." He said in a voice that should have been too low to be allowed. Remus blushed and backed up.

"Don't talk to me." He muttered, and walked away from him swiftly.

_AN_: I feel rather disappointed in myself. --ducks head under desk-- I would like to thank _schwanedreher_, though, for drawing to my attention that in the 1800s Homosexual and Hetrosexual were not even words yet... I myself wasn't aware of that, but in this story I will be using it a lot... but since it's an AU there can be use of nonexistent words, right:D --grins-- and for the rest of you that reviewed the last two chapters, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I love all of you. So thank you to _HermioneGranger47393, Helpless Romantic, Elpin, Riku-Rocks, lemmesee, Zenna, schwanedreher, Cuban Sombrero Gal, Rubber-duckiesofdoom, Jordanne, LadyAnalyn, MayaMay, rekahneko, _and _MagicalWinry_. :D --gives all of you guys hugs-- you make my day!! And if I mispelled your name (since Microsoft Word thinks that all of these names are 'incorrect... damn that. You're all words in my vocabulary!!!:D) I will go hang my head in deep shame in my bathtub. R&R!

Love,  
JULIA :D ;O :P


	4. Chapter 4

Remus had of course vacated the scene soon after Black had kissed him again, which he was extremely glad to do. Obviously Miss Evans had not shown up and had found interest elsewhere, so Remus would shortly be there too.

It was time for damage control.

Giving a sigh, he clambered into his coach and rode over to the Forefield Estate when night had fallen. Magnificent lights were glowing at the entrance as Remus reached the door and knocked on the door. He peered through the window, where the maid was rustling toward the door.

"How may I help – oh, hello Mr. Lupin. Are you here for Miss Evans?"

Remus nodded, folding his hands behind his back and standing patiently at the door.

In a moment, Miss Evans was ushered towards the door – quite flustered – and then pursed her lips at the sight of Remus.

"Oh. Hello, Mr. Lupin." She said stiffly, her fingers curled painfully tightly around the doorknob.

"Good evening, Miss Evans," Remus said politely, sweeping off his hat in one motion. She nodded at him with her nose in the air. "I wish to speak to you."

"How urgent is it, Mr. Lupin?"

Remus contemplated for a second. "Direly important, in my eyes, Miss Evans, do you have the time?"

Her face was turning red slowly, as though battling with herself before huffing out a sigh and snapping open the door farther, stepping out of the way. "Come in. But please do hurry."

Remus realized that he didn't have much time or patience to dwindle with Miss Evans. Hastily taking a seat, Remus sat the edge of the chair quite nervously.

Miss Evans raised her eyebrows expectantly at Remus.

"You did not attend the Potter Banquet, as I see." He observed.

"Please, Mr. Lupin, of course you cannot expect me to visit such a place simply to have my footsteps followed by some desperate man and most probably, you as well." She examined, rolling her eyes.

"I would never follow you, Miss Evans, that would cause a disturbance for you and would get myself nowhere."

"You have already disturbed me, Mr. Lupin." Miss Evans said loftily, her voice airy.

Remus gave a sigh. "I have discussed matters with Black." He ignored the guilty pang in his stomach as he realized that he did not _discuss_ anything with Black at all, he had only really been taken advantage of. Remus' main goal had been to tell Black to back off and yield, but that had somehow been dwindled away.

"Have both of you finally gathered enough maturity to end this joking?" She hissed, not bothering to keep the venom out of her voice.

"I don't think that there has ever been _joking_ between us, Miss Evans–"

Miss Evans stood up sharply. "Until you realize that I am _not_ a fool, Mr. Lupin, and that I haven't been oblivious to the childish games you and Black are playing, we have nothing more to converse."

Remus, despite his usually manners, remained seated. "Please, Miss Evans, do not make me eat my own words. Do take a seat, because there is more to this conversation than we are making it out to be."

Miss Evan's nostrils flared as Remus had just called her flaw. Obviously she didn't like being corrected, but nonetheless she sat back down so swiftly that Remus wasn't sure if she had even ever been standing.

"Then continue, Mr. Lupin, before you waste your time and I ask you to depart _permanently_." She spat, obviously thinking that this would make Remus consider his words.

Instead, he sighed again. "We are both adults, Miss Evans, and I believe that simply talking about this trouble would be much more mature than avoiding it. Black and I have merely not been getting along. While I do admit that the way we decided to handle it was immature, it is over, and therefore it is the past."

Miss Evans looked as though she was trying to find another reason that Remus and Black were bad business, but seemed to not think of any more. "Alright, Mr. Lupin, you have stated your case," She fiddled with her hands. "As long as there is no more playing around, I will be willing to try this again."

Remus smiled gently. "Thank you for your consideration, Miss Evans. I will try to visit you again tomorrow afternoon."

"Very well. You may take your leave."

Remus stepped out of the Estate, and returned to his own house.

---

"Remus… there's a man at the door for you."

"What?!" Remus called exasperatedly, his expression wild. His mother tutted at him.

"Use your manners, Remus!" She scolded, and then scurried into the other room. The maid answered the door.

"Oh, hello Mr. Black!" The maid said, blushing furiously. Black bowed down his hat and grinned toothily at her. Remus rolled his eyes and walked towards the door.

"_Thank you_," He said stiffly to the maid, who was giggling quite ridiculously. She straightened suddenly and cleared her throat before scampering back to the dishes.

Remus glared at him. "I do believe that no one invited you, Black." He muttered.

"Your maid seemed quite glad to make me welcome."

"The only reason that the maid seems so determined in allowing your presence is that most ladies seem to find some sort of part of you agreeable." Remus hissed.

"Are you dismissing me?"

"I'm calling you an incurable flirt, Black," He gritted out. "Now why are you here?"

"Oh, simply to converse with you." Black said innocently. Remus glowered.

"You loathe me, Black, I am sure of that and I think that you are too. Why would you spend your afternoon here?"

Black shrugged and smiled suspiciously. He leaned seductively against the doorframe, poising his foot.

"I guess I wanted to clear the air about something."

Remus did not invite him in or invite himself out to talk to Black, since then they would be alone, and that never ended well. He instead simply raised his eyebrows stiffly and wavered at the door.

"Potter is still allowed to seduce Miss Evans." He said, smiling wickedly.

Remus had expected an apology. Perhaps even an explanation for all of the unnecessary and one-sided kisses. But not a statement of such arrogance and smugness.

"And _why_ is that, Black?" He snarled, his hand gripping the wall.

"Because you are not involved with her, as far as I understand. You are just friends. Potter still has a chance."

Remus refrained from smacking his head into his hands. "You grasp at straws, do you not, Black?"

"No…" He retorted immediately. "I simply use my intelligence to get my way." Black muttered with a hand raking through his sleeked-down hair.

"I can see that. Now leave our property." Remus commanded unyieldingly. Black sighed.

"You will soon see, Lupin."

"See what?" Remus said, despite his better judgement. He knew that Black was only saying things like this so Remus would have to ask_ what it meant_, which of course boosted Black's ego and his inner cleverness. Remus hated having to ask questions.

"That Potter is better off with Miss Evans. Sorry Lupin, but the two of you don't fit. I think you'll find elsewhere, with someone different." Black promised with a soft smile.

"Oh really?" Remus answered loftily. "And who is that _someone_ different, then?" He muttered.

Black laughed quietly. "You really don't know?"

Remus sneered at him. "Get to the point, Black."

"Me."

For a moment, Remus was flabbergasted and blinked about thirty times in two seconds, but then he realized that Black was actually licking his lips hungrily and he stopped.

"Y-You?" Remus stuttered, his hand on the wall suddenly slightly sweaty. He scowled all of a sudden. "What sort of games are you playing, Black?"

Black's face was sort of dazed over and no longer quite coherent looking. "I'm not sure," He mumbled. "But can I play it anyway?"

Again, he felt lips on his and this time – fingers curling in his hair, a raw sort of hunger in Black's kiss this time. Remus bit down a moan when Black started massaging his head and nibbling at his lower lip, feeling his back hit the doorframe. Remus' hands gripped the door behind him tightly, sensing that his head was being slammed against the wood. He whimpered slightly, out of both pain and pleasure.

He heard a crashing sound and a gasp, which definitely wasn't Black or himself, and shoved Black away, remembering that there was another presence in the kitchen.

Tearing himself from Black's lips but still feeling the tingly feeling on his mouth, he horrifyingly stared ahead, where the maid – oh dear _god_, the maid – was still standing cleaning the dishes.

Soap and porcelain plate shards were on the floor, swimming slightly in a puddle of water and bubbles. Remus' mouth was still gaping and closing repeatedly, until he felt a hand creep onto his back and he jumped.

Looking over, Black was looking at the maid as though he had been caught off guard, while the maid, whose eyes were bulging – almost protruding – still had her hand over the soapy mess like she was still holding the plate. Her cheeks were blushed and her mouth was open, even though she was completely silent.

"I – _er_, I cannot – I am ever so–"

"Quiet, Lupin," Black muttered. "I am not even sure that she is listening."

Remus sighed. "This did not mean anything!" He blurted out, everything inside of him dropping like a waterfall. He gulped nervously.

"I." The maid began speechlessly. "Er."

Black spoke up. "I can confirm what Lupin said," He said loudly. "It did not mean _anything_… Lupin nor myself is homosexual!"

Remus nodded mutely, not bothering to question to bring up the fact that Black had even confirmed the previous day that he was a homosexual.

"Just – just please, don't tell my family." Remus pleaded, his eyes desperate.

"Er – I am sorry for intruding, Mr. Lupin–"

Black held up a hand. "No intruding done, I can assure you."

The maid closed her mouth, moving slightly. Her shoes fell into the foamy water.

"I… I will not tell your parents, Mr. Lupin. I can see that this is nothing to be shared… and obviously a mistake…?" She asked somewhat hopefully, and both of them nodded vigorously.

"Er – excuse me, Miss, while I go bid Mr. Black goodbye and make sure he takes his leave." Remus said briskly, while the maid nodded and kneeled down to the water puddle to clean it. Black immediately opened his mouth to protest, but Remus dragged him out with a sharp expression.

The moment they stepped outside, Remus sighed and pushed Black down the steps.

"That is _not_ going to happen again Black, do you hear me? You are no longer even _thinking_ about visiting here ever again!" Remus ordered sharply, rubbing his temples.

"What?" Black asked casually. "We did it before."

"No," Remus corrected. "_You_ did it to _me_ before. And this time someone saw us. I never even _wanted _this."

Black sighed. "I do not–"

"No, Black," Remus said harshly. "I am expected to be with Miss Evans. This isn't even proper. It is not right."

Black sighed. "This is – you are right. You are not worth the patience or the time for _my_ pleasure. Now the only reason I will ever set eyes on you will be for Potter." He muttered coldly, readjusting his tie.

"I never asked for your attention, Black."

Black sneered at him, not the usual husky and smug face he usually used on him.

"Besides," Remus said. "Let us face it. We do not find each other agreeable. We despise each other and the only reason you are pretending to not to now is simply because of Potter."

Black opened his mouth to retort, but then stopped, his snarl returning. "Yes. But it took you a while to find out."

Remus sighed, not wishing to fight back. "Are… are we still going to keep up this awful _joking_?"

Black wickedly gleamed. "Oh, yes. I will win, Lupin." He said rather threatingly.

"Please, Black, can you not be–"

"No. This has not even started yet, Lupin." He muttered, before stalking off without his usual sweep-in-his-step.

_AN_: THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU REVIEWERS. For those of you that are looking for a disclaimer, look in the first chapter. It already says there that I don't own the story - it doesn't just say chapter - it says story. I must say that I love all of you. A LOT. And not just because you read and review, it's because you read these stories for entertainment. You don't read the story for the simple sake of reviewing, you do it because you want to be entertained. And I write the stories because I want you to be entertained. Because I enjoy writing and you enjoy reading. And I love people who enjoy reading. I only write this for the sake of writing and for the sake of you. :D R&R!!


	5. Chapter 5

It was definitely time to claim Miss Evans as his own.

Black had made it clear that James still had the right to seduce her, since Remus and her where not involved. So now they were going to be involved.

And that is why is found himself running haphazardly toward the mansion breathlessly, knocking on the door.

"Hello," He said politely, still panting slightly. "Is Miss Evans around?"

The maid nodded, fetching Miss Evans to the door.

"Oh, hello, Mr. Lupin! Won't you come in?" She greeted courteously, ushering inside. "Tea?"

"I would love some.

Miss Evans swept her skirt out of the way as she sat down with a smile. "What's the occasion of your visit, Mr. Lupin?"

Remus grimaced slightly. "Well, partly just because I wanted to lend you the company, and partly to give you a warning."

"A warning?" Miss Evans asked curiously.

"Well... Black accosted me the other day," Remus started, shuddering.

"What did he do?" Miss Evans asked, her eyes wide.

A few images swam back into Remus' mind, crashing in like a splash of ice water. A touch – a kiss, a slam, a moan – two lips – teeth, tongue – caress –

"Nothing," He muttered. "Just talked. Said something about how Potter still has his chance with you since we aren't 'involved'…" Remus refrained from rolling his eyes.

He waited for a respond, but none came. Looking up at Miss Evans, Remus raised an eyebrow. "Are you alright, Miss Evans?"

"I'm fine," She brushed off, putting down her flowery teacup delicately. "We should be."

"Be what?"

"Involved." Miss Evans said blankly, looking over.

"_What_?"

"What I mean is that we should be involved. Not _engaged_ or anything near that yet, simply 'together'. Potter would leave me alone and Black would leave _you_ alone for the time being."

Remus felt a smile playing on his lips. "You are brilliant, Miss Evans. I can not be any more grateful for your cleverness."

Miss Evans grinned proudly. "Thank you, Mr. Lupin. We should make our status clear the next banquet."

"Sounds lovely," Remus said, draining his teacup and standing up. "Thank you for inviting me in."

"My dear Mr. Lupin," Miss Evans said with a grin. "You invited yourself in."

Remus smiled back, grabbing for his gloves and departing.

---

"I thought I told you never to return again."

"I know," James muttered, blushing and squirming nervously. "But I just wanted to–"

Miss Evans sighed, burying her face in her hands. "Come in. But make it snappy."

James smiled, bouncing into the room and taking off his hat in a bow. Lily was sticking her head in between the curtains, peering out the window waspishly.

"Is Black with you?" Miss Evans asked sharply.

"What?"

"Is Black waiting out there?"

"N-No…" James mumbled defensively, grinning broadly.

"Go into the living room." She ordered, pointing toward the couch.

James was sitting down elegantly and uncharacteristically straight-backed. Lily followed him half-heartedly.

James started fumbling in his coat pocket for something as Miss Evans took a seat daintily as far away as she could from him. "Do you drink tea, Mr. Potter?"

"What? Oh – um, tea, sure!" He mumbled distractedly, finally drawing a squashed rose out of his jacket and handing it to Lily. Lily grimaced slightly as she took the rose and put it into the vase on the table before them.

"We only have green tea and peppermint. Your choice?"

"Er… I will have peppermint, please."

Thrusting a cup into his hand irritably, Miss Evans sipped stiffly at the corner of the couch.

"So how have you been, Miss Evans?"

"Uh – just fine."

"And Miss Johnson?" James asked politely.

"Miss _Judson_," Lily corrected, rolling her eyes. "And she is fine too."

"Good, good," James muttered, blushing. "How are you and Lupin coming along?"

Miss Evans straightened up. "Better than ever before, Mr. Potter. We are involved."

The color drained out of James' face, a rejected look replacing it. Lily looked away. "Oh," James mumbled. "When was this?"

"This morning." Miss Evans said stonily, sipping her tea. When she looked over James had scooted next to her on the couch and was smiling gently at her, almost hesitantly.

Lily gasped. "Mr. Potter–"

James grabbed Miss Evan's hand lightly, tentatively looking into her green eyes.

"I like you, Miss Evans," He said quietly. "I don't know why you will not give me a chance." He kissed her hand softly before standing up, bowing, and leaving the estate, leaving Lily flustered on the couch.

---

"We have heard of your engagement, Remus–"

Remus turned sharply. "What? _Engagement_?"

His father sitting amusedly in his rocking chair and his mother beaming excitedly, Remus furrowed his brows.

"Of course!" Mrs. Lupin said loudly. "Miss Evans and you! I am so proud of you, Remus, dear–"

"There is no engagement, Mother," Remus stopped quickly. "We are simply… involved."

Mrs. Lupin's face dropped. "Well… I – er. It is a start, I suppose…" And she scurried away.

Putting his face into his hands, Remus sighed, letting his head hit the wall.

"Do not be so hard on yourself, son," Mr. Lupin muttered. "You are involved and it is certainly a start… a start of what, I do not know… I am sure that your mother does, though."

"I agree, Father." Remus replied.

"She has much bigger intentions that either you or Miss Evans will be prepared for. So do look out for her plans, Remus, or you will find yourself ending something with no meaning to."

Remus nodded. "I understand."

"And for Black and Potter."

The tawny-haired man blushed slightly.

"If you avoid them, you surely will not put yourself into more predicaments that will concern Miss Evans and you. Black has been making your task of claiming Miss Evans as your own difficult, has he not?"

Remus flushed more, looking at his shoes. "I suppose you could say that."

Mr. Lupin raised an eyebrow. "I assume that Potter started the rumor of you and Black meeting in his estate the other night?"

Remus' eyes widened, and he groaned. "That got around? Did Mother hear?"

"I do not know," Mr. Lupin responded. "But do answer me something, Remus. Is Mr. Potter being truthful?"

He shook his head furiously. "No! Potter is simply jealous of I because of Miss Evans and Black is helping him."

"Then why did Black _visit_ our home?" Mr. Lupin inquired.

Remus felt himself blush again.

A brush – a look – two mouths, two lips, a touch and a moan – a need, a hunger – greed – hands on hair – teeth there, tongue there – hands gripping wood – door slam – clank of dishes –

"I don't know."

"I thought he spoke to you?"

"He did. About Miss Evans and Potter." Remus said solemnly, nodding.

His father looked at him for a moment with a hard stare, and then sighed stonily.

"Remus," He said sternly. "Whatever banter you two are playing at, end it." His eyes were painfully severe.

"_That Potter is better off with Miss Evans. Sorry Lupin, but the two of you don't fit. I think you'll find elsewhere, with someone different." Black promised with a soft smile._

"_Oh really?" Remus answered loftily. "And who is that someone different, then?" He muttered._

_Black laughed quietly. "You really don't know?"_

_Remus sneered at him. "Get to the point, Black."_

"_Me."_

_For a moment, Remus was flabbergasted and blinked about thirty times in two seconds, but then he realized that Black was actually licking his lips hungrily and he stopped._

"_Y-You?" Remus stuttered, his hand on the wall suddenly slightly sweaty. He scowled all of a sudden. "What sort of games are you playing, Black?"_

_Black's face was sort of dazed over and no longer quite coherent looking. "I'm not sure," He mumbled. "But can I play it anyway?"_

"I will make sure that they cease, Father." Remus promised, holding his hands behind his back and leaving the study.

---

He found the two of them sitting by the border of the lake, conversing quietly and throwing in rocks. Their hair was messy and tousled instead of the usual sleek, combed down style that men used to make them look clean and polite. Their gloves were off and so were their jackets, and Black's first few buttons on his shirt were even open.

Potter stopped the conversation immediately as he saw Remus, his face snarling. Even Black wasn't doing his husky, seductive thing anymore. He threw Remus one glance and then went back to the rocks.

Before Remus knew what had hit him, his back was up against the nearest tree trunk, hands curled around the front of his shirt. Potter was holding him up threatingly, face furiously contorted.

"What happened between you and Miss Evans?" He sneered.

"Nothing," Remus immediately replied, not quite sure why he was lying and didn't just say 'we're involved now'. He felt Sirius throw him another gaze curiously.

"_Nothing?_ Nothing, Lupin? Then why did Miss Evans inform me that you two were involved?"

He felt the rough bark digging up into his spine, and smiled uncomfortably, wriggling against Potter's hold. "Mmm, because we are?"

Potter snarled and let go of his hold on Remus, whose feet made contact with the ground again not so gracefully.

"I was right about you from the beginning. You are a good for nothing overly polite and ridiculously courteous pile of dirt." James muttered under his breath acidly.

Remus walked away from the tree, rubbing dirt off of his back.

"What do you want, Lupin?" Black hissed.

"My Father told me to stay away from you."

"Then stay away from us." Black advised, throwing a large rock into the watery depths.

"Except I need to tell you something."

"Are you breaking your family rules, Lupin?" Potter responded waspishly. Remus shot him a look.

"I need to tell _Black_ something." He emphasized, in a way to dismiss Potter.

Potter, obviously seeing that he was unwanted, firmly planted himself there permanently and crossed his arms smugly.

Black stood up from the ground and faced Remus.

The haggard, tousled and rough look actually fit him better than the clean and tidy him. With dirt lightly stained around his clothing, his shirt buttoned up a little way down, and his hair messy, he actually looked more charming then he did when he was standing stiffly and neatly in a ballroom.

"Whatever you are planning on continuing… don't." He warned in a dangerous tone.

"Oooh, did your father send you to deliver that message?" Potter teased him. Remus ignored him.

Black smirked innocently. "What _plan_?"

Remus growled. "Look," He said clearly. "Miss Evans and I are now involved. It is no use trying to push us apart so Potter can get her. I personally can inform you that she finds him irritable and annoying. Let it go, Black."

Black laughed. "I have no idea what you are on about, Lupin. Can you leave me alone now? I have better things to do than listen to your mad rantings."

The two left the lake, leaving Remus gaping on the spot.

---

"Oh my. You look wonderful, Miss Evans."

"Oh," Miss Evans said, blushing. "Thank you, Mr. Lupin."

"What is the occasion?"

"My parents have arranged a banquet tonight to inform the village of our involvement. When I first told them, they thought we were getting engaged…"

Remus laughed. "My parents thought the same thing."

Miss Evans sighed solemnly. "I guess that in these days nobody really simply 'gets involved anymore. They simply get married."

Remus looked down with a shake of his head. "How sad it is, too…"

"Hopefully that will change."

They both nodded determinedly.

"So Mr. Potter did not come and disturb you while I was away?" Remus asked.

Miss Evans opened her mouth, but yet she closed it again with a smile. "No. He did not visit. I…" She let a dainty hand run through her hair. "I am glad for that too."

Remus grinned at her. "Well, that's good. I suppose I should return home and change?"

Miss Evans beamed and nodded, closing the door and leaning against it with a sigh.

Why hadn't she told him that Potter had visited? Nothing had happened, and she certainly wasn't interested… He had simply pulled out a squashed rose and handed it to her, and left.

_No, you're leaving out a part._

And… and then he had scooted up to her, looking all rejected like a lost and forlorn puppy, and kissed her hand.

It had been rather… sweet.

Shaking that thought from her mind, Lily stalked up the stairs to finish preparing herself.

---

"Hey, Black?" James asked when they had returned to the Potter Estate.

"Yes?"

"Earlier, when Lupin was talking to you about a sort of joke or 'plan'… I just began to think." He muttered.

"And?"

"Well, you have been trying to keep him from Miss Evans, correct?"

"Correct." Sirius responded, adjusting his tie in front of James' mirror.

"So what _have_ you been doing to keep Lupin away from her?"

Sirius smirked. "Nothing violent, Potter," He confirmed, shrugging on his jacket. "Just a bit of persuasion."

James laughed. "He always had seemed so convinced. What were you telling him?"

"Nothing really…" Sirius said. "Just a choice of words… Revolving mainly around… revealing one of his secrets to Miss Evans."

"You know some of Lupin's secrets?" James asked disbelievingly.

"A fair few," Sirius lied smoothly. "In good time you will discover them too."

"Clever, Black." James complimented, clapping his friend on the shoulder. He disappeared into the bathroom for a moment.

Sirius continued staring into the mirror, guilt panging around him.

_I could never tell Potter that Lupin and I kissed… a lot. And I initiated it. But he _is_ being extremely gullible to believe that I know some of Lupin's secrets…_

Potter left the bathroom again, his hair slicked down as best as it could be, but still haphazardly messy.

"Why are we even dressing up anyway?" Sirius inquired.

"Miss Evans told me that Lupin and her were having a formal banquet to inform the village of their relationship," James said, suddenly smiling mischievously. "I'm going to go ruin it."

Sirius raised his eyebrows.

"Are you going to come along? Try to convince Lupin to stay away from Miss Evans again?" James asked, grinning.

"Er – no."

"Why not?" His grin fell off of his face.

"I… let's give him a break. Sort through all of the stuff I told him. Besides… we're not that agreeable anyway." He shrugged.

"_Besides," Remus said. "Let us face it. We do not find each other agreeable. We despise each other and the only reason you are pretending to not to now is simply because of Potter."_

_Black opened his mouth to retort, but then stopped, his snarl returning. "Yes. But it took you a while to find out."_

_Remus sighed, not wishing to fight back. "Are… are we still going to keep up this awful joking?"_

_Black wickedly gleamed. "Oh, yes. I will win, Lupin." He said rather threatingly._

"But you already got dressed and stuff," James said. "Look, if you are not going to torment Lupin at least just come along."  
"I–" Sirius sighed. "Fine. But let's not stay long."

---

"You are supposed to link arms with me." Lily muttered, Remus standing next to her stiffly.

"Oh," Remus said apologetically, immediately intertwining elbows. "Sorry. I am not really used to the entire… involved thing."

"Neither am I." Miss Evans responded rather gruffly. The doors to the ballroom opened and the both smiled toothily as they walked out.

"Oh god." Remus gritted out from his grin.

"What?" Miss Evans asked sharply.

"_They_ are here."

"Who is they?" She hissed at Remus.

"Black and Potter!! Right there!" He cocked his head nonchalantly toward the end of the crowd. Lily gasped next to him.

"What are they doing here?"

"Well, Potter," Remus presumed uncomfortably. "Is probably here to swoon. And Black is probably here to… convince, perhaps?"

"Convince who?"

"Convince _me_–"

The hall clapped, but not Potter and Black. Remus smiled half-heartedly at the lot of them. The music started again, as the talk did, as they crossed the entire hall. Dance started as did laughter, and Miss Evans was soon swept away by her perky friends who were quabbling over Remus and Lily's relationship.

"Looks like that went well between you two." A voice said suddenly near Remus. He turned to see Black playing with a champagne glass, staring ahead at Miss Evans chatting with her friends.

Remus immediately stepped away a foot, wrapping arms protectively around himself.

"Yes."

"Have… have you thought at all about what I told you?" Black whispered, obviously not wanting anyone else but Remus and him hear.

"What?" Remus asked sharply.

"What I told you. The other day."

"_Good luck with Miss Evans, then," He mumbled. "You'll need it."_

"_I do not need advice from nosy and interfering individuals such as you, Black." Remus hissed at him, prodding him in the chest irately._

"_Fine," Black muttered, stepping closer still. "But then at least let me give you something to think about." And with that he closed the distance between them._

---

"I do not know what you're talking about."

"I told you something to think about," Black said quietly. "I don't want this entire ordeal to turn ugly." He laid a gloved hand on Remus' wrist.

"It's already ugly." Remus hissed, snapping his hand away.

"Come on, Lupin. I already had to lie to Potter about how I was trying to shoo you away from Miss Evans all these times–"

Remus snapped. "Oh, so you admit being homosexual yet you're too embarrassed to tell Potter that you kissed me?"

"No, that is not what I meant!!" Black said hurriedly. "I was supposed to keep you away from Miss Evans, not kiss you in the middle of it!!"

"So Potter never knew about your little games?"

"No!!" Black said loudly.

"Well, then he is going to find out!" Remus shouted furiously, sprinting away. Black grabbed his arm, palm sweaty against his wrist.

"No, he would become furious! _Please_, Remus." Black mumbled desperately, eyes pleading.

Remus' eyes sparkled curiously. "You just called me Remus," He said. "You never call me Remus."

---

"So…" James muttered suavely, trying to sleek down his hair. "Did you tell your _boyfriend_ about how I visited you this afternoon."

"No." Miss Evans hissed irritably behind her shoulder.

"I – why not?" James asked, his voice hurt.

"Because he does not need to know! Besides, it did not mean _anything_. So do not think that it did."

James growled, turning away. "I really like you, Miss Evans. Don't you see that?"

Miss Evans scrutinized him over her shoulder. "I don't know if I do."

She walked away.


	6. Chapter 6

"You never call me Remus."

Black looked flustered for a moment, hand still bound around Remus' wrist. Remus was having the same 'confused' problem; since with Black calling him _Remus_ should Remus call him _Sirius_? What if Black had simply slipped?

"….I – I misspoke." He muttered.

Remus immediately tensed, as Black stepped backwards and released his arm. "You're lying," Remus mumbled, his eyes cold. "Don't lie to me."

Black sighed, his hand on the back of his head contemplatively.

"I said," Remus repeated, his lips pursed icily. "_Do not lie to me._"

He finally looked up, brushing by the tawny-haired man quickly. Remus grabbed his elbow and swung Black towards him. "What is it that's so horrible that I can't understand?"

Perhaps he was finally getting some _ground_ towards Black, some backbone against the man who always found a way to make him shiver or back off. Why was Remus always the one to surrender?

"I know that you are clever, Lupin. But you are also confused."

Remus was silent.

"So am I. I do not understand much either." Black shrugged helplessly.

"You did not answer me, Black. _And_ you are lying again. You understand what's happening, you just do not want to admit it." Remus spat.

"Lupin," He said slowly. "My job was to make sure you would stay away from Miss Evans. There was not supposed to be any… interaction."

"Then why did you involve some in the first place?" He hissed.

"Because I wanted to!"

Remus was silent. He couldn't help wondering if staying silent meant surrendering.

"Why… why would you want to?" He said hoarsely.

"I do not know. You tell me."

For a moment, Remus was tempted to cross the distance between them in one stride and actually kiss the man – since Black had finally admitted that he had kissed him _not_ for personal gain – but he didn't.

It was _wrong_.

"No," Remus mumbled, shaking his head. "It's… it's _wrong_, Black."

Black looked down for just a moment, before sighing. "Call me Sirius."

Remus was about to say 'No, let us keep it strictly as acquaintances', but then he managed a smile and nodded. "Okay… Sirius."

Sirius smiled back – and Remus, who didn't want to hit an awkward conversation dead end, hurriedly walked away, blushing madly.

_What_ had just happened? Had Sirius Black just admitted that he had actually wanted to kiss Remus and that it _hadn't_ been something to get him off of Miss Evans?

For a moment Remus considered running back and shouting "WAIT" just to get everything straightened out, but he didn't want. Remus Lupin _didn't _want to understand something.

---

"Miss Evans! What a surprise!"

Miss Evans flushed, curtsying as she stepped in without offer. "I am… worried, Mr. Lupin." She said, choosing her words carefully.

Remus raised his eyebrows. "Oh? In what way?"

"For you," Miss Evans specified, her hands fidgeting with each other.

"Uh – would you like to sit down and talk?"

She nodded, storming into the living room and sitting daintily on the pillows.

"What is the matter, Miss Evans?"

"Black. Potter."

For a moment, Remus thought of all of the things that they could have done – sabotage, vandalism, murder, abuse, landed themselves in jail – and then Remus calmed down. They weren't _that_ extreme.

"I – are you alright, Miss Evans?"

She brushed this off hastily. "It's not about me. It's about the fact that they… haven't been bothering me. At all! And the other day Black and Potter came over to apologize for their 'outrageous behavior'. Can you believe it, Mr. Lupin? I never thought I would live to see the day to see those two _apologizing_ at my doorstep!" Miss Evans shared with wide eyes.

"How is that… related to me? And worry – of all things?" Remus asked confusedly.

"Well… I thought that they might have moved to you instead of me. Haven't they been bothering you at all, Mr. Lupin?" She asked in interest.

Remus thought hard, staring at the coffee table with his eyebrows knitted together in contemplation. "No…" He mumbled. "It… it almost makes their bothersome annoyances missable." He smiled lightly.

Miss Evans obviously didn't agree. She tutted loudly, scoffing at him. "Pfft!" She said, crushing his thought. "As if! I have never been happier. This is simply lovely!" She clapped her hands together with a large grin.

"Yeah," Remus agreed distractedly, his mind wandering. "It's lovely."

There was a pause when Miss Evans stopped rambling on about the good news. "Mr. Lupin? Are you alright?"

Remus shook his head out of his thoughts. "Of course. Just… thinking. Do you think that Potter and Black will never really… come back?"

Miss Evans dropped her cheerful manner for a moment, and scrunched up her face somewhat disgustedly. "You are not… sad? Are you, Mr. Lupin? They were not a breath of fresh air, now were they–"

"No," Remus interrupted. "I despised them. But… I had gotten used to them. Potter was never really a distraction to me…"

"And Black? What did he do?" She pried curiously.

"Nothing. He ridiculed me… sort of – well, bribed me, if that is the right way to say it." Remus smiled.

She tutted. "Well, I do not know how you are so mournful now. Perhaps it is just… shock?" She asked almost hopefully. Remus nodded eagerly, simply to end the conversation. He stood up.

"Thank you for the news, Miss Evans." He dismissed rather impolitely.

Miss Evans didn't mention his indecorous manner. She allowed him to help her up by the hand. She grinned.

"Remus," Miss Evans said softly. "Do you not think that after all this time we can call each other by our first names?"

Remus smiled at her. "Of course," He led her towards the door. "You will visit again won't you?"

She nodded, letting him grab for the door handle.

"Definitely.

"Goodbye, Miss – sorry – Lily." He felt awfully noncourteous calling a lady by her first name, but Miss Evans smiled at him broadly just like he was a friend – and that made it seem as though it was okay. Friends didn't call each other by their last names, now did they?

He opened the door for her, which she elegantly walked out of, when she gasped.

"Oh my. Mr. Black." She noticed shockingly.

Sirius was standing by the stairs, his hand raised in an attempt to knock, when he dropped his pose and almost staggered down the stairs as Miss Evans ushered past him, revolted.

"I'm sorry," Sirius mumbled in a small voice once she had taken off. "I didn't know she was here. Otherwise I wouldn't have come."

Remus felt himself deflate as he saw Sirius' forlorn looking form, but he managed to get it into his head that he wasn't even supposed to be here. Remus sneered at Sirius and backed up, about to close the door.

"Can I talk to you?"

Remus should have _shut_ the door. Automatically. But instead he found himself nodding, and walking into the hall. Sirius followed him, closing the door behind him silently and swiftly dashing behind Remus. He was trailing him like an obedient dog, and it was rather annoying to Remus.

Finally, he leant against the doorframe of his room, making sure that none of his parents were upstairs. He crossed his arms grimly and stared as crossly as he could at Sirius.

"Do you actually loathe me, Remus?"

So he was back to calling him Remus. Was this just another fun game of his? Some lies to get it his way – so he would leave Miss Evans? Trying to play it soft?

Instinct told him to say 'of course, Black, what do you think, you revolt me!' but instead he looked down almost nervously and shook his head.

"No. I never hated you."

Black grabbed his shoulders and Remus gasped in shock.

"No. I mean do you hate me_ now_?"

Again, his mind told him to shove Black off, perhaps give him a slap or two, and then order him to leave his property.

"I cannot hate a man who is asking for forgiveness of what he's done."

Sirius smiled. "I don't hate you either. Actually… well–"

"_Do not_ say anything," Remus suddenly growled. Being nice was one thing, but getting into how they felt about each other was another. He didn't want to say something he didn't mean to – or couldn't reverse later. "I think you should go."

Sirius grabbed his shoulders again, but this time his fingers were rough and he had a sort of desperate hold on him. He sneered at Remus, their proximity a bit too close for Remus' liking.

"You're only denying everything because I'm a man. Would this conversation be any different if I was a women?"

"It is not right, Black." Remus said firmly, trying to wriggle free.

"Why do you care about what people think of you?" Sirius spat. "Can't you just care about what _you_ think of yourself?"

"I don't think this is right. I – I wouldn't care if my family would look down on me."

Sirius pushed him up farther against the wall. "Liar. Your family would be disgusted if they knew what I've been doing. What _you've_ been doing with me. They expect you to marry Miss Evans. Not someone like me. Not a _man_."

"Fine!" Remus shouted. "They would care and that implies most of my decisions! But I would care too!"

Sirius let him go, sneering disgustedly. "I don't know why I want to kiss you. The only reason that you will not do it yourself is because you are afraid! You are _afraid_ of the world!"

Remus pushed him away. "I told you to leave."

Black grabbed his shirt. "If you would be given a choice," He growled. "Would you do it?"

Remus didn't bother playing dumb, asking 'do what?' when he obviously already knew what he was talking about. If he wouldn't mind what the world would think, he would definitely kiss Sirius. He wouldn't care – if nobody else would.

He closed his eyes. "Yes."

Sirius' hold didn't lessen on him. Instead, he curled his fingers around his collar and said: "Then do it."

Normal, coherent Remus would be logical and say "But that's not the way things work." And would shake his head wisely before walking away. Perhaps that's what Remus wanted to do – but he was no longer thinking. He wasn't thinking about the other members in the household who could walk up any moment and probably kick Remus out onto the road if they would see anything related to what he was about to do.

"You do it." He choked out hoarsely.

And then Sirius did it. He didn't even wait; it only took a second until Remus felt his head smash against the wall and his lips pressed onto Sirius, a hungry growl coming from the other man. Sirius curled his hand greedily at Remus' neck, finally letting the tawny-haired man react and fasten his hands around his shoulders tightly.

Suddenly Sirius ripped away, their mouths torn apart and both of them whimpering quietly at the loss.

"It's nice to know that there are choices." Sirius muttered breathlessly, staring hard at the other man.

"There where always be choices," Remus said, looking away. "But that doesn't mean that we can decide them," He turned to Sirius. "People still care."

Sirius scowled, but bit on his lip to keep from getting angry. "Do you?"

"I have no choice. If everyone else does, I do too. That is how it works." Remus mumbled.

"Stop it, Remus. Stop living on everyone else's decisions. Tell me what _you_ want to do. Either follow _your _life, or do what you are expected to." Sirius said firmly.

"Both."

"You cannot do both." Sirius said frustratingly.

"I am sorry, Sirius," Remus said quietly. "But you are right. I am afraid of the world."

The black-haired boy wrapped his arms around himself. "Fine. Looks like you have let someone else choose for you. Some backbone you have."

Remus grasped Sirius' arm roughly. "If I didn't have any backbone I wouldn't have walked away from you at the ball–"

"If you would have backbone you would not have even let me inside your house." Sirius snarled, ripping his arm away. Then he softened. "Tell me when you change your mind."

"At least I know that you believe in me," Remus muttered. "But right now, believe in someone else."

"You… you won't stay with Miss Evans, will you?"

"I have to."

"You do not have to do anything!" Sirius shouted, and then he calmed with a sigh. "I'm sorry," He said. "Perhaps I should leave."

"You'll come back." Remus said loudly after him, watching Sirius leave the house. He sank against the wall.

Why was this so damn hard?


	7. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer_: I don't own anything.

"I do not know why you keep on coming. It is rather risky, Mr. Potter."

James stepped into the estate, keeping his hat low and his smile faint. "Call me James." He mumbled.

Miss Evans was flustered for a moment as James took off his hat and deposited it inside his coat, walking into the living room.

"I – no," She said firmly, following the guest into her own home. She peered into the next room, but no one was there. "If you stay for very long someone will find you here. Either my parents, Mr. Lupin, or my chaperones. They will simply come _swarming_, Potter." Lily warned, lowering her voice to a whisper.

"I don't even know why you bothered on coming." She murmured quietly.

"Because I wanted to see you…?" James started somewhat lamely. "I know that you probably do not want to talk to me. If I were you, I wouldn't want to talk to myself either."

Lily tsked. "Mr. Potter, stop the tacky lines and get on with your point!" She snapped irritably.

James stared at the coffee table curiously. "No tea?"

"No," She said shortly. "I don't want to make it look like I had guests."

He brushed his hair down subconsciously before eyeing Miss Evans. "Why does it bother you if someone knew I would be here?"

Lily pursed her lips and looked at the ceiling touchily. "Because," She muttered. "I'm not supposed to like you."

James smirked cheekily. "But you do."

She shot him a look. "In this world, I do not choose my fate."

He looked at Miss Evans with a glint in his eye, as though he knew that his last words were winning. "Miss Evans," He murmured softly. "You and I have similar motives. We both want to be able to love whomever we want to and cease the forced infatuations."

Lily looked at him as though he was finally saying something logical. "It is my _goal_. But I was a bit too late. My parents will ask me to marry Mr. Lupin."

James simply hoped that he wouldn't be regretting leaning over and grabbing the lady's hand gently. "There is still time, Miss Evans."

"I don't know what you want from me."

The black-haired man scooted closer. "Just you." And he could have been imagining it when she had smiled at him faintly.

Should he wait for an answer? James wasn't going to risk the chance of "You may take your leave, Mr. Potter" and he smiled back tenderly. "Is… is that too much to ask?"

This time he knew he wasn't imagining things when Miss Evans grinned delicately at him, cupped his cheek softly, and then kissed him.

James had felt his eyes pop out of his head before he actually responded. He had been sure that he had jumped about a mile off of the couch in surprise. James' mind was screaming _Yes! Yes!! Go, team Potter!_ so loudly that he couldn't even hear anything else. It was like someone had turned the volume off, and the emotion way on. His insides were squealing all over the place.

"You know, James," Lily breathed quietly. "You really can be a gentleman sometimes."

---

"I have to tell you something." James said eagerly, bounding into Black Manor.

"Not now, I really need to clear the air about something, Potter." Sirius interrupted quickly.

James raised his eyebrows curiously. "What is so important?"

"I cannot help you with Miss Evans anymore, Potter. I… I'm sorry."

James smiled. "No need to be sorry! Miss Evans kissed me." He said, not being able to hide his enthusiasm any longer.

Sirius was about to continue his point, when his eyes widened at his friend's remark. "_What?!_"

"She kissed me! I mean – nothing is official. She said to keep it quiet because she is supposed to marry Lupin anyway–"

"About Lupin," Sirius said crossly, interrupting. "There is something you should know."

James, still ecstatic, didn't seem to be listening, but stopped dead when Sirius spoke again.

"I kissed him."

James was awfully still, but Sirius didn't care if he would be disgusted or revolted. He didn't care what the world thought of him.

"You… you – I seem to have misheard you." James murmured quietly.

"I kissed him. It was my way of making him stay away from Miss Evans."

James still wasn't facing him. "That – that's not possible. You told me that… that… you told me nothing."

"And look. You got Miss Evans."

"That had nothing to do with you or your little _escapades _with Lupin!" James yelled, sounding as though he was trying to convince himself. "Miss Evans is still with him, is she not? She simply accepted me too!"

Sirius was silent.

"I… do you fancy him?" James muttered.

The gray-eyed boy paused. "Yes."

"Does… does he fancy you, too?"

Sirius contemplatively looked at the ceiling. "I do not know. Most of the times I kissed him and it had been only me."

James stayed quiet before he turned slightly, but still not facing his friend. "_Most _of the time?"

"Yes. He – he actually responded to me yesterday." Sirius replied calmly.

"Are you together?" James sounded almost furious – only mad at him because he was homosexual.

"No."

When James still didn't turn, or saw anything, Sirius headed for the door. "I just thought you should know." And left his own house, James speechlessly livid and rooted to the spot.

---

"Do you know that Miss Evans's parents want me to marry her?"

"I know, James told me." Sirius gloomily said. He shuffled his feet on the dirty ground, throwing a rock into the lake. It splashed loudly.

Remus, quite inept in the situation, scooted closer. "I am sorry."

Sirius looked up slightly. "Don't be. You are simply doing what you are expected to do as a gentlemen." He said bitterly.

The tawny-haired man stuttered slightly. "I… I really think you are… nice, Sirius." He mumbled.

"_Nice?_" Sirius asked incredulously, and then laughed. "I think you're nice, too."

Remus smiled sadly at him, moving closer still in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. "I'm really sorry that… this thing… had to end this way."

The black-haired man looked at Remus. "It had never started anyway." He shrugged helplessly.

Remus awkwardly put an arm around Sirius. "I admire that you never really cared what others thought of you. I… I could never do that." He hand tightened around his shoulder.

"Thank you." Remus blushed slightly, feeling a hand creep up his backside and rest at his waist.

"Er… You're welcome."

Sirius laughed bitterly. "Can I ask you a question?"

Remus nodded. "Okay."

"Will I ever be able to kiss you again?"

Remus paused for a moment before answering. He stood up, brushing dust off his backside and releasing himself from Sirius' arm. His feet crunched under the rocks as he stepped backwards gently. "I… I'll be married, Sirius. My parents – Miss Evans – they all expect me to marry her. Besides…" He looked at the black-haired man sincerely. "Gentlemen don't do that."

Sirius hung his head – an incredibly heartbreaking sight for Remus – so he knelt down and touched his shoulder.

The other man turned abruptly, holding Remus' face in his hands lightly and kissing his lips in a gentle brush of mouths. Remus gasped.

"Did you… did you tell anyone?" He asked quietly.

"About what?"

"About… us. This _thing_."

"Oh. James. I… I thought he should know." Sirius sounded rather depressed from the tone of his voice as he replied.

"Did he not take it well?"

"To say the least. He did not even look at me." He said disbelievingly.

"I did not tell anyone. I couldn't. My family would go mad. Miss Evans would probably be astounded," Remus shook his head slowly. "Some company, eh?"

"No she wouldn't." Sirius interrupted.

"What?"

"Miss Evans. She kissed James."

Remus was speechless for a moment, gaping open-mouthingly at Sirius. "I… she _what_?"

Sirius threw in another rock. "She kissed James. They were supposed to keep it private – probably to keep it from her parents and _you_, but Potter told me so I obviously told you," When Remus still didn't respond, he looked at him curiously. "You're not… upset, are you?"

The tawny-haired man shook his head. "No. I am not surprised. I have not really been true to her either." He gave Sirius a smile.

Sirius laughed sourly. "Kind of ironic, is it not? It is nothing that I would expect someone like you to do, Remus."

Remus raised his eyebrows. "Oh?"

He laughed. "You used to lecture me about the rules. And now, you have not played by the rules much yourself. May I lecture you?"

"Definitely not! You are the one who made me so inconsiderate of the common etiquette, so should it not be you receiving the reprimanding?"

Sirius showed he clearly disagreed by kissing him.

---

"You did not tell anyone, did you?" Lily asked worriedly as she ushered James inside swiftly.

"Why?"

"Because," Miss Evans said gruffly. "I have been getting this odd… _vibe_ from Mr. Lupin every time I see him. As though he knows."

James deposited his coat on the hangers. "That is simply impossible. The only person I told is–" He froze.

"Who? Who did you tell? James?" Lily asked sharply.

"Sirius."

Instead of turning furious, Lily stopped short, raising her eyebrows. "Why would Remus know then?"

James knew better than ramble off the explanation. He did not understand fully himself, and didn't want to wreak a scene between multiple people – him probably in the middle of most of it.

"I – Sirius has been trying to get Lupin away from you. For – erm, me. He could have told him to ward Lupin off." James muttered, raking a hand through his hair.

He wasn't prepared for what was coming. Miss Evans was not melting into a miserable state of worries, she slapped James across the cheek belligerently. James stumbled back, a white burning searing across his face.

"What was that for?" He demanded lividly.

"You sent Black to keep Remus away from me so _you_ could be with me?! No wonder he was constantly raving on about how you two were accosting him!" Lily said in a loud hiss; as to not attract any unwanted attention within the household.

"I admit that it was foolish, selfish; only for personal gain, but I did not ask Black to tell Lupin!" James said defensively.

"Why did you tell Black in the first place?"

"Because he is my comrade. It is just that simple. I know that I have been childish, desperate, and overly forward – but it is purely because… because I think I love you." James murmured with a hint of a blush crawling to his cheeks.

Lily was not impressed. She furrowed her brows and crossed her arms across her chest. "Pfft. You have not _known_ me, James, you have merely seen me. There is a difference. Do not let your emotions flow overboard." She said sternly, looking at him as though he was a misbehaving child.

He leant forward, prepared for some emergency damage control, and grabbed her dainty hand in his. "Don't you believe in love at first sight?"

Lily seemed to be having trouble controlling her soft side. She looked at him stonily – with a hint of tenderness willing to break through – and fiddled with her crossed arms.

"I – no."

James took another step forward, hoping he wasn't in for another smack across the cheek. He didn't know why he was so nervous. He knew that he was going to kiss her – but he had before. Why did this lady make him feel so incoherent all the time?

"I do." And he smiled gently.

It certainly looked like there was no turning back now. Their lips were only about an inch apart now. Did he move that close? Or had it been her? James couldn't remember… all he really could process was that it looked like she was going to let him kiss her. For the second time. So the entire thing was confirmed. Not just a spur-of-the-moment-first-kiss type of kiss, now it was a fine-maybe-you-are-not-that-bad-I-will-kiss-you-again-now type of kiss. Which definitely meant that she wasn't disgusted by him.

_Score, team Potter._

James couldn't help let out a little chuckle before he laid his hand at the soft crook of her neck and kissed her.

God, it felt good.

_AN_: Yay!! James and Lily have finally worked out their issues and are now together!! And while there is no REAL action between Remus and Sirius, it is still great that they are accepting each other. And kissing.  
And I have to mention her. My bestest friend, otherwise known as HermioneGranger47393 (also co-author of How To Make Bubbles Amusing) here on fanfiction, made the coolest thing on thing. I don't know if most of you have heard of Sims 2, but she made Gentlemen Don't Do That in Sims 2!!! SQUEE. I will be posting the story (chapter by chapter) the characters, and the link list on my LJ: FanficLady. And, just so you can see the awesome cover picture, go here, but delete the spaces:  
http // pics . livejournal . com / fanficlady / pic / 00002eyh  
It's AWESOME. :D Read and review, please! This is definitely MY favorite chapter so far...  
Love,  
JULIA :D ;O :P


	8. Chapter 8

It wasn't a relationship. It was a thing.

Rare kisses, not much comfort, not much talking. It was simply a stolen glance or even a nod in the other's direction when the others were around.

Remus didn't confront Miss Evans about the Potter-and-her ordeal, which kept everything running smoothly, if not awkward. The Lupins were getting impatient, and when Remus saw their carriage taking off to the Fairfield Estate for a small chat with the Evans, Remus could feel a small clump forming in his stomach.

Lily and him never kissed, or did anything Sirius and him did. They talked politely, being friendly to one another, but never any relationship like. But that was fine with both of them. So getting engaged was never something that really seemed to be a concern for Remus.

"I think… I think my parents may have found out." Remus said quietly.

"Oh? What makes you think?" Sirius responded, lounging out against the bench he was sitting on.

"Because they just went off to Fairfield Estate."

Sirius wasn't frowning. Remus found that aggravating.

"What are you smiling on about?" He asked exasperatedly. Sirius grinned broadly.

"If Miss Evans and Potter end up getting married, then… we could… you know. We could be together." Sirius said with a twisted smile and surprising tentativeness.

Remus looked away. "I – I do not think so."

"Why not?"

"Because for one thing – I am not homosexual – and for another, people would notice." The tawny-haired man insisted stubbornly. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Are you still on about that whole 'the world cares' ordeal?" He asked frustratingly.

"What do you think, Sirius?" Remus snapped. "We – we would actually be together right now otherwise."

Sirius looked down broodingly. "I kiss you."

"Occasionally," Remus admitted. "And briefly. But it is nothing to get fussed up about." He drew his arms around himself and looked fixedly at the oak tree in front of him.

Sirius grabbed his wrist, turning him around and attaching their lips firmly. "How many times do I have to tell you? I cannot just forget about you. This… this is more than just getting you away from Miss Evans." He gently intertwined their fingers.

Remus speechlessly stared at the black-haired man. He unhooked their hands, gave Sirius a small kiss on the forehead, and then ran back to his estate.

---

"Remus!! Where have you been?" Remus' outraged mother yelled furiously. Remus panted, breathlessly reaching the door to his home. He muttered an apology.

"I… took a walk. What did Mr. and Mrs. Evans say?" The tawny-haired man asked worriedly.

Mrs. Lupin smiled, something Remus certainly wasn't expecting. "We have some excellent news. Why don't you take a small visit to the Fairfield Estate?" Her eyes had an eerie gleam to them – her smile meaning only mischief. Remus nodded reluctantly.

"Er… of course. I will be back, then." He murmured, heading back outside. His mother chuckled wickedly.

---

Instead of a maid answering the door, it was Mr. Evans. He smiled warmly, and motioned for Remus to come in.

"Ah. Mr. Lupin." He opened the door wider and Remus stepped in cautiously, darting his eyes around in search of Miss Evans. She was standing in the corner, arguing furiously with her mother. She sent Remus a half-hearted smile when he walked in.

He felt Mr. Evans yank on his wrist and was pulled roughly into the kitchen away from Lily.

"Mr. Lupin," He muttered. "Your task this evening is simple. Miss Evans status is still empty, something that has to be changed as soon as possible…" He trailed off, his eyes expectantly waiting for Remus to understand.

Remus' eyes widened the next second. "Oh."

"Only the gesture is necessary. Miss Evans is already aware of her fate – and she along with you will be inheriting the family engagement ring. Can you take care of this, Mr. Lupin?" Mr. Evans instructed with a faint and assuring smile.

_No! No! What about Sirius?_ His mind suddenly shouted. Remus wanted to protest firmly – even explain everything – but he knew what he was expected, _supposed_ to do. He had warned himself – Sirius – that this would happen. He just never knew it would so soon. He never wanted it to happen.

Then he realized that he didn't want to marry Lily.

He wanted to be with Sirius.

"Mr. Lupin? Mr. Lupin, are you all right?" Mr. Evans swimmy voice came back to Remus.

"I – yes. Yes, of course."

Mr. Evans gave Remus a pat on the back. "So you will do it then? Excellent."

Wait, no, that hadn't been what Remus had said yes to. His mouth opened a second later but Mr. Evans pushed him towards Lily – looking horrifyingly at the approaching tawny-haired man.

The parents stood next to them expectantly. "So," Mr. Evans said eagerly. "We may begin. Lily, do you agree to complete the engagement?"

Lily closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and looked at Remus – who was begging in his head for the lady to shake her head and run expeditiously.

"Fine." She said stiffly. Something inside of Remus screamed.

"Good," Mr. Evans said satisfyingly. "Mr. Lupin?"

Remus felt as though the words_ Mr. Lupin_ were drawn out horribly long. _Get it over with, get it over with_. He murmured determinedly. _You are expected to do this. By Mr. and Mrs. Evans, by your parents, by –_

He stopped.

He couldn't say that Sirius wanted him to do this.

_Remember Sirius. _

Before Remus knew what he was doing, he blinking away something wet that he didn't know was there, muttering "I'm sorry." and was turning around in a frenzy. Through blurs in his eyes, he pushed on the door, sprinting out as fast as he could. He was doing Lily a favor anyway.

It wasn't until he reached the front of his house, that he realized what he had done.

He had disappointed his family – Lily's family – for the sake of what? Something that was _wrong_,_ wrong_, _wrong_, with Sirius? Did he risk and drop everything for _Sirius_?

With a heavy heart, Remus opened the door to his Estate. He heard the low, excited squeals of his mother in the study room. Remus ignored her and ran up the stairs, tears shining in his eyes.

---

It was more than an hour later when his mother's voice drifted up the stairs. "Remus? Remus, are you here?" Then she muttered something back to her husband: "I suppose he's still at the Evans' Estate. We could go visit." Remus buried his face in his bed.

When the footsteps vanished, and a door opened, Remus didn't bother to walk downstairs and check if his parents were gone. He knew that they were headed for the Fairfield House, only to get the shock of a lifetime and come back with lots of screaming and confusion.

He was quite surprised when a loud knock was heard downstairs. Remus picked his head up from the pillow, peering out of the window.

Remus rushed down the stairs, before opening the door.

"Sirius," He croaked, refraining from throwing himself into the black-haired arms and crying profusely.

"I am surprised that you are not telling me to go back home."

"Why would I do that?" Remus said hoarsely, his voice cracking.

"Because this is all… secret, if that is what you can call it." Sirius admitted, shrugging slightly.

"Come in." The tawny-haired man offered – or more of less pleaded – and Sirius stepped in. His facial expression softened.

"You look distraught."

"I found out why my parents were at Fairfield Estate." Remus mumbled. Sirius' eyes widened for a moment. Then he extended his fingers.

"Hand," He commanded, and Remus gave him his hand. Sirius examined it, his expression confused. "There's no ring."

Remus wiped a single tear from his eye. "I-I know. I just ran."

There was a silence.

"Why did you?" Sirius asked.

"B-Because… because of you." He muttered, sensing gray eyes enlarging next to him. Before he could say anything else, Remus felt himself being drawn into an embrace. He clutched at Sirius.

"That was… nice." The black-haired man said. He kissed the top of Remus' head.

There was a pause.

"Sirius…?"

"Hmm?" He asked soothingly, smoothing down the other man's hair lovingly.

"I hope it's not too late to ask you to be with me."

_AN_: Yay!! But this is definitely not over. DEFINITELY. Review please!

So something totally awesome is that I got contacts. They are so much easier than glasses. :D

Second of all, go to my LJ (FanficLady) to see Part 1 of Chapter One of GDDT. :D

And third of all – the same problem I had with BTN (Belong To Nowhere) is now reappearing. And I want YOU to decide. Happy ending, happy and sad ending, or sad ending for everyone:D I don't know what I'd do without all of you. I love you all. :D

Love to all of my reviewers of the last chapter:

_HermioneGranger47393_, aww, dear, you always know what to say. You are one of the reasons I'm writing this!! Love you!

_xSimplyxMagicalx_, awww, thank you!!! I totally agree. This was such a fun chapter to write because there is some _mutual_ Remus/Sirius, but it's not a relationship… it's just a… thing. :D Keep on reviewing!

_xxacidxx_, -blushes- how nice you are to me!! Makes me feel all warm inside knowing that you like reading and that you like seeing alerts for new chappies. :D Love you!!

_Scision_, writing James is SOO fun because he's annoying and irritable and cute and charming all at the same time. There where definitely be a lot more James in the next chapter. :D

_Riku-Rocks_, I love being able to write in this atmosphere. You can be so much more flexible in different time eras! Hope you liked this chapter too! Thanks!!! I don't know what I'd do without all of you guys… :D

_Elpin_, thanks! I hope my imagination met your curiosity standards!! Writing Remus in pain is so fun… but I can't keep the puppies away for too long. Keep on reviewing!

_Wilfred Humbug_, what an odd screenname! How on earth did you come up with it:D Meanwhile, did you predict an update today…? Haha.

_MadameAngel_, hehe, that enough Sirius/Remus action? There will now be plenty more to come… thanks for reviewing!!

_SetTheTruthFree_, I have no idea how to bring James and Lily _permanently_ together, but I'll soon find out! It's sad that even _I_ don't know yet… :D Thanks for reviewing!

_Nalana_, yay, thanks for reviewing! I love people saying they can't wait for updates:D Makes me feel all… happy. Yes, a poor vocabulary for a writer, but it certainly describes it perfectly!! Thanks!

_LadyAnalyn_, haha, I actually never considered them running away together. :D But now they're together! But I have no idea how to deal with James and Lily and Remus' parents… but Remus' father is a lot nicer on Remus than his mother… -hint, hint- thanks for reviewing!

_MagicalWinry_, glad you like it! And here you go, an update on a platter:D Keep on reviewing!

_Nickel Xenon_, aww, thank you!! That's so nice! It's not often that people say that… keep on reviewing!

_SweetSouthernGal_, thanks for reviewing! And technically, Sirius and Remus weren't together yet… it was a… thing. An unfinished, unofficial, brief kiss by the lake, sort of relationship. Thanks!

_SaveTheWatchmaker_, I really do love you, you know that? You are way too good to me. Hope you like drama!! Muahaha!!! But honestly, I like Mr. Lupin too. He's so… lazy and sarcastic and kind. :D


	9. Chapter 9

Lily knew that he was going to say yes. He was going to marry her and that would be that with James and she would have to be with Remus forever. So much for being with the one you love and not giving in to arranged marriages.

Something was pooling in Remus' eyes and Lily blinked to make sure that she wasn't seeing things. But soon afterward there was a loud thump as Remus made a wild pounce for the door, muttering, "I'm sorry" to the entire family and bursting out the door.

What just happened? Lily thought quickly. Her eyes flickered to the window, where Remus was running along madly. Her father jumped over to the ajar door, looking out of it with rage. 

"I cannot believe this!" Mr. Evans roared, slamming closed the door. Lily moved over to the curtain and peered through it, her green eyes scanning the lawn, but Remus had already fled. Only the soft rippling of the grass and trees was left in the front yard.

"This is an outrage!" Mrs. Evans vented, muttering furiously with her husband. Lily realized that even though Remus had left – that didn't mean that he would never come back.

She needed to find James.

Lily made a mad rush up the stairs, her parents ignorant of this as they were too busy arguing over Remus' departure.

As Lily reached her room, hair blown out of its neat bun, crimson curls falling clumsily onto her shoulder and waving about as she clambered over to her trunk, she let out a heavy breath of worry.

She threw herself on the floor beside it, her dress surrounding her in a crumpled heap.

Lily tossed in her clothes, not bothering to be neat as she threw more personals in haphazardly. In went her brush, her shoes, her gloves and scarves, until she was satisfied with the trunk's contents and closed it with a snap.

Lily heard the deafening knock of someone hammering on the door. She ran over to her window, eyeing – the Lupin's carriage.

Something inside of her deflated. With a gasp she heard her parents thumping up the stairs to fetch her, and with no time for worrying, she threw her suitcase out of the window and climbed onto the roof as well.

---

"I hope it's not too late to ask you to be with me."

Sirius had thought for sure that he had been wrong. He did not just hear Remus Lupin tell him that he wanted to be with him. With a furrowed brow he pushed the man to arm's length and stared at him for any type of joking evident in his eyes.

"I… I don't understand." Sirius murmured, and then mentally slapped himself for his stupidity.

Remus did lose his nerve slightly, his eyes getting more and more hesitant. With a deep breath from the tawny-haired man, he thrust Sirius against the wall and kissed him softly.

When they pulled away Sirius was smiling. "Oh my, Lupin. It's against the rules to be a homosexual." He teased playfully, before kissing him back just as tenderly.

Remus grinned back as well.

---

James had been fiddling with his cloak moodily when he heard rushed footsteps outside of his estate. Jumping up, he hurried over to the door, checking if it was Sirius, but was surprised to see Lily – limping slightly and panting as she carried a trunk with her. The hem of her dress was dirty, dragging along the ground as she hasted up the stairs to the porch and hammed on the door with amazing strength.

"James! James, are you there?"

The black-haired man's eyes widened as he heard Lily's voice – completely worried and hasty and not at all polite and stiff. He threw open the door upon seeing her staggering up the steps, gazing at her with immense interest before feeling himself being swept back into the house, his vision obscured with a bush of red.

With an 'oof!' from James as his back hit the wall, he embraced Lily back, but not quite as ferociously. He pushed her back to arm's length.

"What happened?" He asked concernedly.

That was obviously not the right thing to say, as Lily's eyes, already pooling with something wet, starting streaming wildly as she burst into tears and buried her face in her hands, slumping to the floor.

"I've just run away."

James' eyes widened. Lily Evans – _Miss Evans_ – the polite, courteous, civil, never-break-the-rules-lady had run away from her parents and her own home?

He was speechless.

"And I'm not returning." Lily choked out firmly, answering the question James had prepared in his mind.

"But… why not? What did they do?" James asked perplexedly. He sunk to the ground with her in what he hoped was a comforting gesture – as he was no longer hovering over her intimidatingly.

"It's not what _they_ did. It's what I didn't do." Lily said, staring at the floor fixedly.

"Psshh," James brushed off. "There's nothing you don't do." He smiled tentatively.

"Now there is." Lily said darkly.

"Did you… make a stain on your evening attire?" The black-haired man suggested at a loss for guesses. Lily shot him a look.

"Remus and I were supposed to get married and while I said yes he fled the house and then I ran away." She rambled out.

James blinked several times.

"You… you said yes?" He asked incredulously, something dropping inside of him – _melting_, vanishing – something that felt like his heart –

"It was reluctant," Lily said, her eyes reddened. "I was thinking about my parents, not anything else."

James was looking stonily at the wall, standing up and crossing his arms around himself.

"Come on, James," she said. "Don't be upset. I mean – honestly! To avoid it I had to _run away_ – something I never wanted to do–"

In one second, James swooped down next to Lily, staring at her eyes intently and holding his hands in his firmly.

"Do you love me?" He asked.

Lily looked down, trying to avoid the scene, but the only thing that her eyes reached were their intertwined fingers.

"I don't know… I – James – this is just so…" she sighed. "Yes."

"I do too," James told her back softly. "So why did you almost marry him?"

"Because I was not only thinking of you, James!" Lily said angrily. "There are other things to worry about too!"

He stood up again, raking a hand through his hair. "So… you said yes… and Lupin ran. I feel an odd sort of appreciation for him now." James said with a twisted smile.

Lily stayed on the floor. "So are you coming with me?" She asked.

"Coming where?"

The red-haired lady shrugged. "Away. Not here anymore."

James blinked. _What?_ She wanted to run away with him? But he did have a life here – he had Sirius – he couldn't just run away with Sirius thinking that he hated him because he fancied Lupin.

Lupin.

He had just given Lily to him. He had given him _Miss Evans_. Sirius deserved to know that James approved of him.

He realized that Lily was still waiting for his response. James nodded. "But not without saying goodbye to Sirius first."

---

Remus lay on his bed, waiting for his parent's outraged screams to fill the house as they would burst through the door. Sirius was lying next to him, holding his hand reassuringly. Remus was staring at the ceiling, terrified as he waited for the noise to disrupt the silence.

Sirius stood up from the bed, staring out of the window.

"I see your parent's carriage," he said, staring at Remus apologetically. He brushed his cheek supportively. "I should go."

Remus shot up in his bed as Sirius rushed over to the door, throwing one last look behind him and mouthing: _You can do this._

The tawny-haired boy swept himself out of his room, staring down the stairs as he watched Sirius dart out of the door. He closed his eyes as he heard the door open.

But he only heard one outraged murmur coming from his mother, and he opened his eyes again. His father was looking up the stairs at Remus himself. He smiled softly, something Remus didn't expect him to do.

"Remus John Lupin, come down here this instance!" Mrs. Lupin screeched, stomping up the first two steps. With a sinking feeling, he walked down the stairs slowly.

"Yes…?" Remus asked worriedly.

"We were just at the Evans Estate," Mrs. Lupin said, her eyes flashing dangerously. "And they told us that you _left_ – fled, as they put it – from the house – turning down their engagement offer!!"

Remus wanted to crawl into a hole, something sinking beneath him. His father cleared his throat.

"Can I have a quick word, Remus?" He asked, and motioned for his son to follow him into the study. With a groan, Mr. Lupin settled himself into his lumpy armchair.

"Yes, Father?"

Mr. Lupin smiled. "I think you'll be shocked to hear the Miss Evans left."

Remus felt his eyes widen. "She… left?"

"Ran away," Mr. Lupin confirmed, nodding. "We doubt that she'll be returning."

The tawny-haired man ran a hand through his hair and breathed out heavily. "I… why? I… I can't believe this."

"The easier for you, Remus." His father said with a sly smile.

"What…?"

"You and Black."

Remus' eyes widened more and he jumped in his seat as though it had burnt him. "I – how did you–?"

Mr. Lupin chuckled. "I saw Black leaving when we arrived."

"…did mother…?"

He shook his head, still smiling, but stopped when he saw Remus bury his face in his hands. "I'm so sorry, Father." He muttered. Mr. Lupin put a hand on his son's shoulder.

"Do not worry about it, Remus. I am not ashamed of you, because frankly I cannot blame you or Black," Seeing Remus' face worry slightly, he held up a hand. "I will not tell your mother. It can be kept silent." Mr. Lupin smiled.

"Thank you, Father."

"Now," he said. "Scurry off so I can have a chat with your mother about Miss Evans and you."

Remus grinned back at his father, before walking out of the study and avoiding his mother's blazing eyes as she stomped into the study.

What luck he possessed.


	10. Chapter 10

Sirius concealed himself in the mass of bushes in the Lupin's garden. He was sure that Mrs. Lupin was too furious to notice him, but he may have imagined that Mr. Lupin was throwing the bush a curious glance.

He waited on the dirt for Remus to come outside, and when he did, looking exhausted but somehow relieved, his eyes flicked among the front yard, scanning the grass for –

"Sirius," he said, a smile evident in his voice. He tromped over to the bushes and pulled out the black-haired man. "Why did you wait in the _bushes_?"

"What was I supposed to do?" Sirius whispered, not to be overheard by the Lupins.

"My father saw you."

Sirius' eyes enlarged to the size of teacups, and he clapped a hand over his gaping mouth.

"…What?"

"My father found out about… us. He doesn't care." Remus added quickly, seeing the horrified expression on his friend's face.

"Your… your mother–"

"Does not know." Remus confirmed, brushing dirt off of his jacket.

Sirius let out a breath of relief, catching Remus' hand in his and setting off on a steady trot, dragging the other man along behind him.

"Where are we going?"

"To my Manor. Just for a little bit." Sirius told him, checking behind his shoulder for anyone peering out of the Lupin windows. He rushed a bit around the corner.

"But your parents–" Remus protested.

"Are dead. I doubt that they will come bothering us." Sirius said with a slight smile. Remus' fingers squeezed his hand.

"I… I am sorry."

"Do not be," Sirius brushed off. "Did not care for them much anyway."

Remus nodded, even though his eyes were still confused.

---

When the two of them reached the dark and lavish Manor, Sirius gently lit a candle in the corner of the cramped living room. There was fancy furniture littering the entire space, and cobwebs hung in the corners.

"Sorry for the mess, Remus," Sirius apologized. "The only rooms I use in the house is the bathroom, the kitchen, and the bedroom. The rest is just… there."

Sure enough, when Remus ran his fingers along the musty couch, his hands met dust. He wrinkled his nose in disgust, waving away the dust but resolving into a coughing fit instead. Sirius yanked him away.

"Do not step _into_ dust." He told him, leading him away into the kitchen, which was clean and shiny.

"We used to have a maid and a cook when my parents were alive," Sirius said. "But I did not pay them anymore when they died. So they left. The place has been pretty… _empty_… since I was the only occupant. Kind of dark and lonely." With a sigh he snaked an arm around Remus' waist.

"My Mother probably loathes me now. Father couldn't persuade her," Remus shook his head to shake away his tears. "I really am a terrible son."

Sirius turned to face Remus, holding his shoulders firmly. "Listen to me, Remus – you're not a bad son. You are much better than I ever was at the job," he smiled at him faintly. "And if you cannot live there anymore you can live with me."

Remus smiled back and gently wrapped himself around Sirius, kissing him lightly.

Suddenly there was creaking from the old porch stairs that people barely ever walked onto, and Sirius ripped himself away from the tawny-haired man, peering out of the window and sighing.

"James," he murmured. "And… Miss Evans…?"

Remus' eyes widened. "What if she is mad at me? For running out on the engagement?"

Sirius grabbed his boyfriend's hand, but still didn't look over at him, since he was too engrossed in the window.

"Do not worry. Who even said that I would let them in?"

There was knocking at the door, and as Remus shrunk into the dust and dark shadows, Sirius rolled his eyes at the persistent hammering, sitting down on the floor besides Remus.

Soon, stifled pleas were vibrating through the door.

"Sirius! _Sirius_ – are you in there? Come on, Sirius…" The voice was fading away hopelessly.

Suddenly a snappish female voice interrupted, and with one loud _bang_ there was a kick and the old wood was cracked off of its hinges. Remus gasped and shouted out, while Sirius roared in anger, getting up from the floor.

"Potter!" he yelled furiously. "You broke down my door!"

James stared at the dust gathering up around the door pathetically, before turning to James. "With good reason. You did not answer it."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Why are you here?"

Meanwhile, Lily's eyes flickered to the shadows where a shaking Remus was getting up horrifyingly while James and Sirius bickered.

"Remus!" she cried, stopping the conversation in between the two black-haired men. Lily crossed the distance to Remus, pouncing herself onto him in a strong embrace. Remus staggered back a bit, before awkwardly patting her back.

"Erm… Lily?"

She pulled herself back, wiping two single tears from her face and brushing back her out of control hair. It was no longer neatly concealed in its curly bun, but thrown haphazardly everywhere.

"I can only thank you, Remus," Lily said with a strangled smile. "You really did save me from doing something I did not want to do." She pounced onto him again.

"You are… you are welcome. Definitely."

"I cannot believe I will be leaving you." Lily said miserably, looking at Remus with a sad smile.

"…Leaving?" Remus asked slowly.

Sirius snapped his head to James in confusion.

"That's right," James muttered. "We are running away. We cannot stay here forever – or actually even for just a little bit – Lily's parents. It is impossible for us to remain here. Or remain here _happily_, at least."

Sirius' eyes were wide. "I… leaving? So this is the last time I will ever see you, James?" It had seemed that he had forgotten about their bickering.

James' face looked completely cheerless. He nodded. "Yes," Sirius' face was about to retort, but he stopped him. "I'll really miss you, Sirius. I do not know why I did not accept when you told me about Remus and you – I was stupid. I cannot end our friendship with regrets."

Sirius was fighting back tears. James moved to Remus.

"And Lupin – if it wouldn't be for you I wouldn't be standing here next to Lily right now. I… I cannot tell you how much that means to me for you to have stepped aside. I just… thanks." He awkwardly went forward and shook Remus' hand.

Lily was gaping. "Remus and – _Black_? I never would have… I just never thought–" She stopped herself, mouthing a small and silent 'wow'.

Sirius was staring fixedly at James. "I am sorry for… shocking you. Thanks for… approving. It means a lot to me." he nodded, wiping away the tears in his eyes. He groped out wildly for Remus, who immediately wrapped an arm around the black-haired man's shoulder.

James nodded. "You… you are my best friend Sirius. And it pains me to leave, but I have to."

"So – so you're really leaving?" Sirius choked out.

James nodded again, and Lily stifled a sob.

Sirius rushed forward and enveloped James in a hug, streaming tears to his shoulder. "I'll miss you." he muttered, and Remus felt himself staring emptily at the scene in front of him. This Sirius in front of him – sensitive and caring and loving – it was so different from the cocky and selfless and chauvinistic Sirius that played annoying banters with him and loathed him. It was almost like they were two different people; how could Remus have not seen this part of his boyfriend before?

After what seemed like an eternity, James and Sirius pulled away, and Lily politely gave Remus a small hug, before they walked down the stairs to the porch. Both of them looked behind their shoulders.

"I'll see you again, Sirius," James promised. "This isn't the end."

Sirius nodded, his grip on Remus' arm tightening. Remus tried not to wince as he felt the blood rush to his shoulder.

The two watched Lily and James walk away until they were nothing but dots camouflaging into the sky.

---

"Life without James." Sirius said moodily, throwing a dirty cup into the sink.

"Like without Mother and Father." Remus responded, glancing at the dusty table in despair. Sirius sighed.

"When did everybody around here just… leave?" he sat down beside Remus, burying his face in his hands as his elbows hit the table loudly.

"Potter said that he would come back." Remus reminded him, staring out of the musty window.

Sirius snorted. "As if," he muttered. "James is probably too far away to remember this place," Sirius looked up from the table and looked at Remus hopefully. "Do you… do you think he still remembers me?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "It has not even been a week, Sirius, of course he still remembers you. I wonder where they are now."

The black-haired man shrugged. "Countryside, probably."

Remus was thinking of something else as his feet shuffled at the dirty floor. Dust rose at his shoes quietly. "I cannot believe that my parents are not looking for me. Mother is probably too disgusted since I ran away from the engagement and Father is probably confused that I left. Why did I leave, Sirius? Can you tell me why I would do such a thing?"

Sirius looked at him. "I think I made you. Do you want to go back?"

Remus contemplated, looking slightly on the verge of tears. "No," he finally said. "But I do want to see them."

Sirius nodded. "Do you want to go now? We have nothing better to do around here?"

They both stood up wordlessly, intertwining their fingers and retracing the steps they had taken a few days ago, until they reached the Lupin Estate and Remus walked into sight.

Before he had even climbed up the porch, the door swung open with such force Remus had thought that something inside of it had exploded – until Mrs. Lupin dashed down the steps with tears running down her face.

"Remus!" She cried, and without any further ado she threw herself into her son's arms. Remus looked over his shoulder for any trace of Sirius – but he only saw a flicker of black hair peeking out of the trees.

The moment Mrs. Lupin made sure that Remus was all in one piece, she slapped her son across the face.

Remus staggered back.

"REMUS JOHN LUPIN," she exploded angrily, the tears on her face forgotten. "HOW _DARE_ YOU LEAVE THIS HOUSEHOLD AFTER YOU TURNED DOWN AN ENGAGEMENT."

As Remus regained the feeling in his cheek, he blinked several times in surprise. "Miss Evans is gone. What am I supposed to do?"

Mrs. Lupin's anger dispersed slightly. "Nothing anymore, obviously," she stared at him with pursed lips. "Do you have any idea how _worried_ I was?? All alone–"

Remus shook his head to stop her. "Father is here. You were not alone."

Mrs. Lupin tilted her head with a tear in the corner of her eye. "Your father… left shortly after you did." She told him sadly.

"Left?" Remus repeated perplexedly. The tree behind him rustled in shock, and Remus mentally hoped that Sirius had not fallen out of the underbrush into plain sight of his mother.

"He… passed away."

This time there was a cracking of twigs loud enough to alert Mrs. Lupin, but she didn't move the slightest towards the trees.

"What?" Remus asked quietly.

His mother nodded silently. "You missed our funeral."

The tawny-haired man wanted to punish himself. He had foolishly run away with Sirius – and he would have never known that his father was gone if he had not returned. There had been no warnings. No goodbyes.

"Well," he said dryly, swallowing around the lump in his throat. "Then I suppose he did not tell you…?" His voice was remarkably stable.

Mrs. Lupin raised her eyebrows. "Tell me what?"

Remus looked at the ground. "If Father didn't tell you, and I don't, the words will never be heard," reluctantly, he met his mother's gaze. "I am involved."

Mrs. Lupin's eyes widened in surprise and delight. "With Miss Evans? She came back?" she asked hopefully, but Remus shook his head.

"No," he gulped. "With Sirius Black."

There was a long, tense pause in which Mrs. Lupin blinked dumbly at her son. Remus wasn't sure if she had grasped the concept – or even heard him, but he wasn't going to repeat himself.

"Sirius Black?" She finally squeaked out. Remus nodded.

"Yes."

"But – but Black is a gentleman, not a lady–"

Remus felt his insides dropping in shame. "I… I know. I did not mean for it to happen."

Mrs. Lupin shook her head faintly in disbelief. "But – that is _impossible_, Remus – gentlemen don't do that – especially not together – is this some sort of joke?"

Remus felt something flash through his head.

"_Men don't do that to other men!" Remus shouted heatedly. _

_Kissing. Kissing other men. Gentlemen don't do that._

He laughed, and his mother eyed him in surprise. "I used to think that too," he said. "But honestly… Mother, is it not just as proper as it is doing so with a lady? It is just… a different title. Not lady – gentlemen. Please – do not judge me or Sirius on this."

Mrs. Lupin nodded slowly. "I am not angry – but I cannot say I am not shocked – _or_ pleased – but if you ever change your mind–"

"I won't." Remus assured her.

Mrs. Lupin plowed on. "But if you ever change your mind, do promise to get me some grandchildren."

She swept him into a small hug before scurrying back into the house in disbelief and wide eyes. Sirius walked deftly out of the undergrowth. "Grandchildren," he said bitterly. "I forgot about them."

Remus shook his head. "You can," he said. "I'm… I'm not planning on leaving any time soon. No lady. No grandchildren."

Sirius smiled, weaving fingers through Remus' jacket pocket in an embrace.

"Want to go back home?" He asked. Remus nodded.

"So that is home now?"

Sirius shrugged. "It may not be proper," he said. "But home is wherever we are."

Remus pointed towards a small river by the trees. "So if I asked you to live here, would this be home?"

The black-haired boy wrinkled his nose at the muddy bank but nodded nonetheless. "Are you okay?"

Remus raised his eyebrows at the taller man. "Why should I not be? Oh. My father," he stared at the ground. "I… I guess I am. Or I will be. He… he was the first person who accepted me for what I was. No matter what I became." He shook his head in an attempt to get rid of the tears.

Sirius squeezed his side. "Too many goodbyes."

"Not enough good mornings." Remus agreed.

Sirius smiled at his friend. "Good morning, Remus. No need to say goodbye, because I know that there will not be a need for one."

They both walked back home.

_AN_: Oh my, I love all of you reviewers. Honestly. I don't know where this story would be without you. And yes - I know that everything is sad right now but it'll get better. You all asked for a happy ending, after all!! Even though I have no idea how continue this right now. -looks sheepish- If you have wishes go ahead and share them.  
Love,  
JULIA :D ;O :P


	11. Chapter 11

"Do you ever think about getting married, Remus?"

Remus looked up from the dusty table, staring at Sirius with cocked brows. "No, Sirius, I do not," he said. "Mostly because we are two gentlemen and that is not all together… accepted here."

Sirius sighed, placing down his teacup and sitting down beside Remus. "I am aware of that. But is it not simply the principle that counts?"

Remus shook his head and stared at the table fixedly. "Why are you even talking about marriage anyway, Sirius? You only marry if you are in love, unless it is arranged."

Sirius' eyes glinted mischievously. "But this is not arranged."

The other man looked up curiously, staring at Sirius as though he was confirming the unspoken words that Sirius had implied. "But if it is not arranged, then…?"

"Yes," he said, standing up again and placing his hands on Remus' shoulders. "I do love you, Remus."

Remus furrowed his brows, suppressing the urge to turn around in his chair and smile up at Sirius. He opened his mouth to talk, but Sirius squeezed his shoulders reassuringly and interrupted him.

"That's all right," he said. "You do not have to say it back. I know that you don't love me yet, and that is all right with me, Remus. The time will come." Sirius took Remus' hand in his and stroked it as the tawny-haired man stared at his shoes.

"I… thank you." he finally mumbled out shamefacedly, not smiling.

Sirius brushed his thumb over his boyfriend's palm. "I completely understand it. I am still who I was when I met you. Loud, sort of egotistical, selfish. Sometimes I think… I think that you deserve better."

Remus' head snapped up and locked their eyes sharply. "Do not say that," he told him sternly. "You never were the gentlemen I saw you as when we first met – I had judged you. You really were everything you are now – caring, considerate, sympathetic. Not any of that other drivel."

Sirius smiled softly, his grip on Remus' hand never lessening. "I remember that day. We were about fourteen, weren't we?"

Remus nodded, furling his hand around his cup.

"I think I may have been _almost_ fourteen." he corrected.

"I was horrible to you," said Sirius, shaking his head. "We had just moved in to our estate, and a few months later my parents died. And that is when I became friends with James. I knew you first."

Remus nodded. "Yes, but we certainly did not befriend each other first. I was out reading in my front yard under that big apple tree that was in the middle, when I saw your family and all this royal luggage rolling up the road in a huge coach." he squinted to remember.

"I had thought that you were a know-it-all. I certainly was not very nice when my mother told me to leave the house while they ordered the butler to furnish the place correctly and I saw you reading," Sirius said. "I had… already known that I was homosexual. But my parents had not. Life was still… livable, then."

"_Our luggage is in the back," Mrs. Black informed sternly to the driver of the coach. "Be very careful with it! And do not drop things." She pursed her lips as she played fondly with her gloves._

"_Do we have to live in that house? It is so gloomy, Mum." Sirius complained with a wrinkled frown. _

_Mrs. Black sent her son a glare. "Your grandmothers lived there, Sirius. Are you not honored to be a Black?"_

_Sirius squirmed uncomfortably in his seat, ignorant of his mother's hard gaze, and lifted his shoulders half-heartedly in a shrug._

_Mrs. Black tutted loudly. "You are intolerable Sirius," she snapped, and then furrowed her eyebrows at the driver penetratingly. "Stop here." She told the driver. _

_The coach promptly stopped, the driver leaving his seat and crunching his feet on the gravel as he opened the back to heave out all of the bags._

"_Orion," Mrs. Black barked to her husband. "Why don't you tell the butler where to arrange the furniture?" she moved over to her son. "Now. You, Sirius, should go and take a walk. We need to bring back the Black into our home, right now the only thing it's sporting is _dust_…"_

"_All right," Sirius said immediately, hopping out of the coach and walking along the dirt with his hands burrowed into his pockets. He nodded courteously to the butler who was fumbling along the handles on the bags, before blindly whistling along the paths. _

_Sirius rounded the corner of a crowd of trees, skirting the underbrush that guarded them, his eyes falling upon a large front yard and an estate with a boy sitting under a large tree that provided him shade._

_Sirius eagerly walked up to the boy, but tried to be casual as he walked up to the enormous apple tree._

"_Hello." said the boy underneath the leaves, looking up from a large book in his lap. He had brown, blondish hair with amber eyes that sparkled like stones in the sun, and a tentative smile that Sirius liked._

"_Hi," Sirius responded, his eyes flickering to the book that was still grasped tightly in the boy's fingertips. "What are you reading?"_

_The boy shrugged. "Just a novel," he looked up at Sirius hesitantly. "My name is Remus Lupin."_

_Sirius wanted to chuckle at the name, but he remembered his own and refrained from mocking Remus._

"_I am Sirius Black. Do you live here?"_

_Lupin nodded, and without waiting for a response from Sirius, he ducked his head back under the book._

_Sirius realized that he was lingering awkwardly, and hurried to make conversation that he knew the other boy didn't want to make. "Do you want me to call you Remus or Lupin?"_

"_Either is all right. I do not care."_

_Sirius nodded. "Okay… Lupin." He did not like something about Remus. He was awfully distant and anti-social, the exact opposite of himself._

_Remus shrugged. "I suppose Lupin is more proper."_

_Sirius snorted. "My parents are all about proper. Is that your thing, Lupin?"_

_He looked up, eyeing Sirius curiously. "It is only polite. It is what we do here," he told him obviously. He raised an eyebrow and tilted his book slightly. "I saw your coach coming in. Where did you come from?"_

_Sirius sneered slightly. "I did not grow up in an area where we drink out of plumbing waste and bathe in waterfalls, Lupin! I was only a few towns away! Do not speak to me as though I am intellectually challenged!" _

_Remus shrugged lightly. "All right. I was just curious to where you had come from."_

"_Put your curiosity somewhere else." Sirius snapped, jerking his hands out of his pockets and stomping away from the front yard. He felt two pairs of amber eyes on his back until he vanished out of sight._

"It still must have been terrible, Sirius." Remus replied. "I could have at least looked up from my book to talk to you."

"That is… all right."

"When I told my father about you, he said that you were a Black, and that Blacks had reputations. I had thought you would be one of them." Remus said apologetically.

"My parents certainly where Blacks. And sometimes – while it pains me to admit this, but it is true – I did act like a Black to you."

"It was second nature, Sirius," Remus brushed off. "I was not very nice to you myself. I remember once that I told you 'I will try being nicer if you try being smarter'."

Sirius shrugged silently, before cocking a brow. "I think I got a little louder and a little nicer when my parents died." he concluded.

"What happened to them? It could not have been old age, Sirius." Remus inquired inquisitively.

The black-haired man shook his head. "It wasn't," he confirmed. "I think it may have been revenge by someone. My parents were rather… careless, when it came to making adversaries."

"That is… horrifying."

"Maybe," Sirius agreed, but he had a smile on his face. "But they did deserve it. And life got a lot better then. James offered me to live in the Potter Estate. I was only fifteen at the time, so I accepted."

"_You have been living in that dark house alone for more than a month now," James said gravely. "And you are only fifteen."_

"_I am fine," Sirius brushed off. "With my parents gone the house is much more pleasant."_

"_Nobody cleans the house, nobody cooks, nobody washes the clothes. How will you live?" James asked concernedly, pressing the subject._

_Sirius put his hands on his hips. "What are you suggesting?"_

_The other boy held out his hand calmly, waiting for Sirius to shake it. "That you move into our estate."_

_Sirius was quite taken aback by the proposal, but only raised his eyebrows in contemplation at the hand still outstretched to him. Sirius took it. _

"_All right. I will." _

_James smiled, releasing the other boy's fingers and traipsing back to his estate to inform his parents of Sirius' response._

"I am glad," Remus said. "You would be living off of bread scraps and washes in the lakes." He grinned at the thought. Sirius prodded him.

"Honestly," he said. "I was considering turning down James' offer."

"That would have been very foolish of you. Despite our own nonexistent friendship, I would have offered you a home as well." Remus admitted.

"I would have walked away from that offer years ago," Sirius confessed.

"I would not have expected you to be jumping with joy to move into our basement. It does have a leak in the wall, after all, and floods in rainstorms."

Sirius wrinkled his nose up. "Eh," he took Remus' empty cup and brought it to the sink. "After that, I was slightly kinder to you, though. The Potters were a lot… better."

"Slightly," Remus emphasized with a smile. "I remember how you first talked to me after you moved out of your estate."

"_Lupin, are you reading again?"_

"_Different book." Remus murmured distractedly, readjusting on the tree bark._

_Sirius rolled his eyes and tutted. _

"_You do not have to be so obnoxious to me, you know." Remus said from behind his book quietly, and Sirius snarled._

"_I reserve the right to be obnoxious." Sirius snapped back, wondering briefly in the back of his mind why he had even visited the boy in the first place._

"_I have already heard that insult, Black," Remus replied airily. "You will have to try harder to offend me."_

"_Think you are funny?"_

"_No," Remus admitted, flipping a page. "Just truthful. I would have thought that after spending time around a family like yours and the Malfoys you would have better cheek."_

"_How dare you," Sirius muttered. "I hate my family."_

"_You sure are a lot like them."_

"We were very silly then. Perhaps unintelligent is a more specific word." Remus said, laughing slightly. "I am taking a bath, Sirius." he got up from the table and vanished into the darkness of the house.

Sirius sighed, getting up from his chair as well with a creak on the floor as he stepped over to the door to take a walk.

His eyes grazed over the Evans Estate when he walked farther along the path, the rippling grass and probably the still furious parents arguing inside of where their daughter left to. He was just about to leave again when his eyes fell upon a boy that was staring forlornly at the door and sitting on the porch steps longingly.

"Hello." Sirius greeted to the boy, who looked up.

He had black hair, slightly longer than his ears and stringy – a sign of grease building up in between the strands – with a pale face.

"Hello." the boy replied half-heartedly.

"Are you… waiting for someone?" Sirius questioned.

"I suppose you could say that."

"Who are you?"

"Snape," the boy said. "Severus Snape."

Sirius studied Snape, realizing that he was about his own age, but before he could make sure, Snape talked first.

"I am surprised that you are talking to me," he said. "Most people ignore me because I am… different."

Sirius tutted. "I know that feeling."

"Yes? What makes you abnormal?"

"I'm… homosexual." Sirius admitted, shrugging.

"Ah," Snape said. "I am simply… unattractive. People ignore me."

"How ignorant of them," Sirius lowered himself onto the porch steps as well. "Have you ever been in love, Snape?" Snape nodded meekly. "Hmm, horrible isn't it? Who was she?"

He looked at the grass. "Miss Evans."

Sirius' eyes widened in shock before he awkwardly replied. "Oh, er… my friend, is…"

"With her," Snape finished with a sigh. "I heard that they ran away."

"I am sorry," Sirius sympathized lackadaisically. "I should go."

He ran back to his own estate, where Remus was sitting on the musty couch curled up against a few books. Sirius closed the door behind him a soft smile as his eyes fell upon the tawny-haired gentlemen.

He lowered himself onto the couch, drawing his arms protectively around Remus. "You finished your bath, I suppose?"

"Mmhm."

"I love you." Sirius told him gently.

"Are you trying to make me feel guilty?"

"No, of course not!" Sirius defended hastily. "I just like saying it."

"Gentlemen should not say that to other men." Remus said helplessly.

"I know," Sirius said, snuggling closer to him with a grin. "But I have never really cared much for the rules."


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer_: I do not own Harry Potter.

_AN_: I know what all of you are saying. "FINALLY!" or perhaps even "I thought this would be a dead ficlet!" but now that Xenophobia is over and the requests are also dwindling down, I have every intention to finish this story, as I had planned originally. So sit back, relax, enjoy, and perhaps even reread some of the last chapters to remember what happened. :D

"Remus," Sirius greeted as the tawny-haired man entered the dark estate of the Blacks, "I was unaware of the fact that you had left."

Remus readjusted his coat and slipped off his gloves. "There is a terrible blizzard storming up out there – I want to make sure to that there is _some_ food here – I am not doing picking any berries in that weather." He gave Sirius a contemplative look before enveloping him in a hug.

"The fireplace needs wood," Sirius said immediately. "The estate is going to be an ice brick in a few hours."

Remus shook his head. "If you want a warm house, Sirius, go out there and collect some wood. I have spent enough time out there."

Sirius sighed. "Must I?" he asked half-heartedly, and pecked Remus on the cheek as he stood up.

"Have I not cleared this issue up yet? We can have a cold estate this winter if that is what you fancy living through."

"I… I do not fancy living through a cold estate," Sirius finally admitted. "I will go collect the wood."

"I know what you are thinking," Remus said with a sigh. "The last time you were in this house you had maids to do this sort of thing and no one bothered you about it."

"That is not… I…" Sirius walked towards the door to collect the wood without any more discussion, but something outside of the window caught his eye.

Brushing by the curtain and coughing slightly at the dust billowing around them, Sirius smirked out of the window.

"Ah. Snape," he muttered. "When I met him the other day I did not realize that his hair was such an unsanitary thing."

"You met him?" Remus piped up from the corner, eyebrows raised curiously. He flawlessly opened his buttons of his jacket before meticulously hanging his coat on the door hooks. "When?"

Sirius turned away from the window. "He was… sitting on the steps of the Evans Estate," he waved his hand idly, "like he was waiting for someone."

"Was he?" Remus inquired curiously.

"Of course," said Sirius, "Miss Evans. I told him that I had known her and that my friend had run away with her… he knew, of course. And then he told me that most people ignore him because he was abnormal. I told him I related to him, and that I was homosexual–"

"_What?!_" Remus interrupted, and promptly dropped the scarf he had been removing from his neck.

"What is it?" asked Sirius concernedly.

"You _told_ Severus Snape that you were homosexual?"

"Yes. He didn't seem too fazed–"

Remus' fingers flew up over his mouth. "Tell me you are playing with me, Sirius," he ordered, and Sirius shook his head, "Not only does Snape abhor me, but homosexuality is frowned upon beyond belief, Sirius! How could you have simply forgotten? We could be arrested – killed, for that matter!" Remus ejaculated furiously.

Sirius shook his head. "Snape would not have told anyone."

"Yes, he would have, Sirius," Remus corrected, his nostrils flaring lividly. "In our era and in our places, homosexuality is a _disease_, a _psychological deviancy_, not a choice!"

Sirius let his paled hands brush away the strands of black hair that had fallen lifelessly into his face. Limply, his mouth fell open into a gape. "They could not kill us. It would be injustice."

"That doesn't matter, Sirius," Remus brushed off unimportantly, "don't you understand? Between 1800 and 1834 over eighty men were hung here, in Great Britain!"

Sirius rushed over, putting his hand on Remus' shoulder consolingly.

"But – your mother and father understood, Remus. Why should everyone else not?"

Remus shook his head sternly, his jaw set, "My – my mother never accepted me," he confessed, "I could tell when I told her about us. She never approved of me being homosexual. The only person who ever didn't care was my father, and that was because he loved me."

Sirius squeezed the other man's hand. "That is not true," he said firmly, "I love you. Miss Evans cared for you very deeply as a friend."

Remus stared at the floor. "Please, Sirius," he said grimly, "I cannot even look at you right now. How could you have so foolishly told a stranger about this?"

Sirius shook his head. "I did not know."

The tawny-haired man jerked his body from Sirius' grasp, "Then maybe you should look into that," he advised coldly, "but now I do not want to deal with you. You need to grow up, Sirius, and learn what is wrong and right."

"Remus," the black-haired man began slowly, not comprehending the seriousness of the conversation, "I have thoughtlessly made a mistake. It was irrational. But all I can do now is ask for forgiveness. Sometimes forgiveness can be the most complete type of revenge."

The other man refused to connect eyes with Sirius, "You have acquired yourself many mistakes lately. You cannot do whatever you want whenever you want, Sirius. Maybe when you have learned that you can see me."

It was when Remus stepped away from Sirius and reached for his coat that Sirius realized that he was leaving the house. As he stepped noisily on the floorboards that creaked Sirius couldn't help but resemble it to the creaking of his heart and the panic that was beginning to rise up in his chest. His best friend had abandoned the town. Without Remus, what would he have left? He knew that Sirius should not have let all of his faith rest in a thing like his ineffably forbidden relationship with Remus – a homosexual, out of boundaries, _gentlemen don't do that_ relationship, but it was the first time he had ever experienced something besides lust for a person. If the man before him would leave his house never to return again, what would be left in Sirius' life? It would be dull, washed away and forgotten, because no lady of any amount of petite-ness, politeness, or prettiness could replace someone like Remus.

Sirius stood up, grabbing Remus' arm.

"You are the only thing in my life that matters to me, Remus. James is gone."

A wry, exasperated expression replaced Remus' one of fuming rage concealed beneath the skin. "Oh," he said quietly, "I am a replacement of Potter. And not a very efficient one either, apparently, seeing as you felt the need to rattle this all of to Snape, of all people."

"I did not know, Remus!" Sirius pleaded desperately. Weeks ago, what was Sirius? He was still a gentleman. He bowed his hat for ladies and knew all of the ballroom dances by heart just to impress women. He had self-control and an immovable sense of confidence. The air that floated around him purely read that he was going to capture the world in his fingers in two seconds and that he knew just how to do it. Sirius was not a man helplessly in love with another gentleman – one that did not return his love. He was a larrikin, a joker, a hopeless prankster that found amusement in everything in life.

Sirius had changed.

Sirius was now a man that did not find interest in winking suggestively at handsome ladies or attending banquets and wearing his fanciest suit simply because it made him look dashing. He no longer carried an airy sense of loftiness and buoyancy bordering on the line of arrogance, now he was a man who didn't know how to please his partner. He didn't know his way around the maze anymore. He didn't know how to get what he wanted from his relationships anymore. He was now a man who had to suffer the deplorableness of unrequited love and who didn't know if what he said was a mistake or a compliment. He was still a joker, but James was no longer his partner in pranking. He was no longer the suave, chauvinistic Casanova of the village. He had crossed the lines of boundaries of young men. He was a homosexual.

He was no longer a gentleman.

Remus impatiently yanked his arm from Sirius' grasp, "Do you not remember a few weeks ago when we standing on top of Miss Evan's patio, arguing about who won over the lady? Or when my family's maid caught us in the kitchen. Do you not remember what I repeated to you many times these past few weeks?"

Sirius stared at the floor. His impeccably shiny shoes were a bright contrast from the floor's musty appearance. Shuffling his soles around, dust scuffed up on the bottom of his shoe.

"Gentleman don't do that." Sirius replied silently.

"That is right, Sirius," Remus said bitterly, his own words suppressing the watery tears that threatened to spill, "and now you've betrayed my trust. Gentlemen don't do that either."

"I am not a gentleman anymore, Remus. I do not have the right to call myself that."

"I suppose you aren't." the other man managed to choke out miserably before thrusting his jacket onto his arms and rushing out of the door before his brave face crumbled.

Sirius stared impassively at the door that swung shut in front of him. The blast of cold air that blew into the house was nothing compared to the chilliness that Sirius was feeling inside his core.

How many times would he have to win over Remus Lupin?

_Maybe you can't_, a tiny voice mentioned in Sirius' head, _maybe you do not deserve someone like Remus._

Sirius stared at the abandoned house; the peeling and terribly old-fashioned wallpaper, the faded wooden floors that creaked in every step, the dusty couches that Sirius had never bothered to use simply because they were tainted with his parent's scent, and the dark, barely-lit hallway with flickering candles that had almost reached their end.

He remembered James sitting at the table with him, chatting about days before Miss Evans had come to the village. Sirius was a hopeless lady's man and James was a terribly unpopular candidate for a spouse. Sirius was at the height of his age, and James was at the bottom of his.

Sirius disconsolately sighed, thinking of how different things would be if Miss Evans and James were still in town. Would Remus have forced to marry Miss Evans despite his protests? Would Sirius have been able to maintain his relationship with the man with the occasional advice from James or perhaps even Miss Evans?

All of these what ifs were nothing to compared to the thought of _what if I had not told Snape about Remus and I?_

He was in love with Mr. Lupin, and just as he had done before, he would win him back.

It would be his challenge.

oOoOoOo

At first, Remus had simply walked out of a door into a storming blizzard. Then he realized that he had walked into a high chance of hypothermia while walking out of Sirius' life.

He never should have expected for the two of them to make it far. They were two gentlemen, and gentlemen don't do that sort of thing. It was amazing that Remus had let it go as far as he did.

Pushing his collar up his neck to the hem of his hair, Remus bowed his hair away from the pushing wind and flying snow while cradling his hands around his mouth, profusely blowing in warm puffs of air. Stomping through the snow, Remus headed for the first place that he knew he could return to –

Lupin Cottage, and his previous home.

He realized that his mother was prejudiced of him and his recent affairs, but she was still his parent and that meant not being able to resist to her son being stuck out in a snowstorm with a scarlet nose and flushed cheeks. Bigotry against homosexuality was common, but Remus hoped that he could convince her that what he had been previously involved in was part of his past and that it was pushed behind him. Hormones, experimenting, blackmails and bribing were all quick excuses that flashed into Remus' brain.

Remus rushed through the snow, realizing how with every footstep the air around him seemed to be getting chillier. He was just about ready to pass out unceremoniously in the snow out of hypothermia when Remus could faintly see the outlines of his house in through the sleet of snow.

He darted up the steps and rapped profusely and meaningfully on the door, attempting to shout through the flurries. He hoped that his mother did not choose this hour to leave the house. More desperately, he knocked on the door.

The door opened carefully and Remus found himself face to face with his maid, who creaked the door open farther when she saw the man on the threshold.

"Come in, Mr. Lupin." she greeted dustily, closing the door hastily as snow threw itself into the snugly warm house.

"Is my mother here?"

"Upstairs, sir." The maid said curtly before hurrying back to the dishes in the sink.

oOoOoOo

Remus' mother had been most unpleased by Remus' unexpected and sudden plea of housing from the Lupin Cottage, for it was a favor unsuspected and seemingly fruitless seeing as Remus made the decision to leave his parent's house when he started a homosexual relationship.

"The house has been very empty since your father died."

Remus stared at his feet, avoiding his mother's piercing gaze.

"Look your mother in the eye, child," she snapped coldly.

The tawny-haired man tentatively met gazes with his mother, "I apologize that I missed the funeral."

Pursing her lips, his mother lit another candle to bring light to the steadily darkening room, "I realize that you have no where to go, Remus. But if I let you stay here, you must promise me that you will not go fleeing off again the moment you change your mind. I know that you are an adult who needs to experiment with his life, but it was irresponsible what you did. Quite foolish."

"Yes, mother. I am sorry."

"But everyone deserves a second chance, so I am willing to let you stay here again." His mother announced curtly. A faint smile played on Remus' lips.

"Yes. Second chances are always acceptable." He did not realize that he was going against the words he had spoken to Sirius merely a few hours ago.

"However," his mother began sharply, "you must promise me something. You will marry a fine young lady with a steady income and a reputable family."

Remus snapped up his head, "A lady?"

"Why, yes." she said, slightly aggrieved, acting as though there would be no other choice except for her son to marry a wealthy woman.

"Mother," Remus began hesitantly, "I do not think you understood me when I visited you here a while ago. I was not just experimenting with my youth. I am not a man who was meant to marry a lady."

"Remus, this is absolutely preposterous. Stop playing games with your mother this instance. It is not humorous." Oblivious and stubborn to see the truth, Remus' mother gave her son a stern look.

"Mother, this isn't a game. I am in love with–"

Sharply, Remus stopped himself and drew in the breath he had saved for the last of his sentence.

But his mother had heard the stumble. She inhaled a heavy breath before crossing her arms and stonily eyeing her child as though he was a misbehaving child, "I do not care if you are in love with Mr. Black, Remus. Perhaps your father was all right with his only child being homosexual, but I for one am not. You have an obligation as a gentleman. You are to be the husband to a lady and meet all of her needs. Not experiment with your sexuality and convince yourself that you have fallen in love with the nastiest man in our village."

"I'm sorry, mother."

"Remus, I have spent almost my entire life raising you the best I could manage. And among your growth I have taught you rules and manners. And you have defied most of my rules among the past month. You have sought out a relationship with a man. And gentleman don't do that."

"I know." Remus replied in a small, beaten voice. Defeated, he slumped his shoulders and sighed.

"Now let me ask you this. If you are in love with Mr. Black, then why are you pleading with me to live here?"

oOoOoOo

Sirius, quite frankly, did not know how exactly he was supposed to make up his mistake to Remus. Chewing his lower lip, he stared obsessively out the window and pressed his forehead against the cool glass. A small pile of snow had gathered itself up on the sill of the window. The blizzard was still blowing frantically through the town, and Sirius, who had never been very fond of the snow, felt as though the sky was raining down exactly what he was feeling right now. Despair, distress, frantic urgency, _coldness_.

He knew that this coldness wouldn't go away until he got Remus back.

He could go back to pretending as though they had never even had a relationship and act suave and sexily sophisticating to capture the man back. He could plead and beg. He could run away like James did and try to find life somewhere else; forgetting about the growing burden on his shoulder that felt like the world but was actually Remus. He could let time take its course so Remus would start missing him.

Sirius sighed, his breath rattled in worry.

What the hell had Remus Lupin turned Sirius into?

His eyes drooping, Sirius felt a small, salty tear drip from his eyelashes into his lap. He was crying.

Chastising himself, Sirius hastily wiped the tears threatening to spill away from his eyes and drew a sturdy and strong breath to compose himself, "Gentlemen don't do that." he scolded, wiping yet again at his eyes.

oOoOoOo

"I wish you were, father."

Remus stood beside the cement grave dug in the yard, covered in soft flurries and surrounded in loose and unturned soil that was dug up only a few weeks ago.

Remus drew a shuddering breath, not sure if it was the cold and numbness that was spreading up his toes at a freakishly rapid rate or the deplorableness of the situation. Delicately, he laid down a slightly wilting pair of white roses on top of the grave, letting the tears fall down his cheeks without bother. Immediately the flowers were adorned with a pretty coat of snow, nice enough to be painted into a portrait. Remus stared fixedly at the stone grave, _LUPIN_ etched carefully into its front.

Sinking down to his knees, Remus looked at the grave as though it held all the answers in the world.

"You always understood me more than mother did. You always knew what was best for me, and what I would want. You knew what I wanted and what I needed and best of all, you knew the difference. Before I never valued your presence that much. Now that I so desperately need your advice, you are no longer with me."

This time as Remus continued his ramble, he stared into the sky fixedly, ignoring the bitterly cold snowflakes that fell onto his face and into his eyes.

"I hope you are feeling all right up there, father. I miss you more than you can imagine."

The snowflakes pounded more furiously on Remus' paling face. "I never said it very much, father. But I must declare that I love you. You were more than just my parent, but you were my friend."

Remus paused to wipe away the torrent of tears that were washed down his cheeks. "I feel lost right now. I am in love with a man who thinks I hate him. I want to go back to him, but I fear that I will get killed for being involved with a man. Gentlemen don't do that. I broke the rules and no one supports me. I know you would have. You did."

The man ignored the fact that his fingers were turning a faint blue and that his teeth were beginning to chatter. Snow was soaking through his pants.

"You would have known what to do, father. And if you can hear me and see me pleading, please, give me a sign of what I should do."

A cold gust of wind blew over Remus' chin, but the sky remained silent still. No sign; no cryptic message in the clouds, no sudden realization breaking through Remus' thoughts and mind, only cold and hard wind.

Remus sighed, looking at the canvas covered ground, undisturbed and white as an eagle's feather.

It's not like he believed in miracles or booming voices from the sky. He just believed in his father.

"I'm sorry if I ever let you down, father."

oOoOoOo

Impatiently, Sirius stomped his foot on the ice-slicked patio and repeatedly slammed his elbow onto the door.

"Snape! Severus Snape! _Mr. Snape!_"

Finally, as the whirlwind of flurries blew around Sirius' head, a man cautiously opened the door and stared into Sirius' eyes. There, on the threshold, stood Snape, his dull and distrustful black eyes boring into Sirius'.

"Is there something I can help you with, Black?" he asked airily.

"Yes." Sirius said automatically, forcing his way into the warmth of the house. It didn't matter right now that Sirius didn't respect or honor Snape like the other men in the town, or that he was quite honestly disgusted by the mess in front of him. It didn't matter at all.

"In what manner of my speaking were you invited inside?" Severus pointed out, grimacing as snow crumbled off of Sirius' boots.

"That is all right," Sirius brushed off, "I need to know that you did not tell anyone about me being homosexual."

Wryly, Snape smiled. "You and Lupin. I remember vividly."

Sirius was impatient, "Did you share this information with anyone? Any town's people?"

Hand still on the doorknob, Snape smirked, smugger still, "Oh no," he drawled, "except for the sheriff."

As if someone had dumped ice water over his head, Sirius was ready to faint right there in Severus Snape's foyer. He couldn't have heard correctly. He _can't_ have.

"Please tell me you are a teller of untruths."

Snape, pleased, shook his head, "Indeed not, Black."

Sirius didn't have time to lose. At this confirmation, he sprinted from the house, almost slipping on the icy steps.

He realized that Britain was harsh with homosexuals. He realized that they often resorted to death as punishment. He realized that he and Remus both didn't have a way out anymore. He realized that Remus had been right; Sirius had made a mistake bigger than what he could ever make up in return.

What he never, ever, wanted to happen was that the sheriff found Remus before he found Sirius.


End file.
